The Humanizing Work Show

Leaders may know the value of early learning, but teams may have built up resistance tackling the hardest, most uncertain work first. Instead, they chase quick wins that feel safe but create nasty surprises later. In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, Richard Lawrence and Peter Green share how CAPED helps leaders make it safe for teams to go complexity first. You’ll hear why quick wins are such an alluring trap, what causes team hesitation, and how leaders can use culture signals and skill-building to change the pattern. From Microsoft’s Tay chatbot story to practical tools like complexity mapping, feature mining, and reference class forecasting, this episode shows how to turn complexity first into the obvious, motivating choice. Show notes, links, and transcript for this episode: https://www.humanizingwork.com/quick-wins-trap-core-complexity/

  Most presentations to leaders don’t lead to decisions. They’re overloaded with slides, but they don’t result in action or support. In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, Peter and Richard share a proven formula for presenting to leadership that gets results. Learn how to: Do the right pre-work so your proposal aligns with what leaders care about Craft a clear, practical request Use the “Therefore / But” pattern to tell a persuasive story Follow through so decisions actually stick Show notes and transcript: https://www.humanizingwork.com/how-to-present-to-leaders-and-get-results/

Vibe coding prototypes can feel magical. With just a few prompts, an AI builds a working app you can click around and test. But when something looks real, it’s easy to fall into common product traps. In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, Peter shares his positive experience vibe coding a drag-and-drop helper app for a NY Times word game, while Richard highlights the hidden risks. Together they explore how confirmation bias, anchoring, sunk cost fallacy, precision/accuracy bias, and optimism bias sneak in when prototypes start looking like products. The big lesson: don’t use vibe coding to prove your idea — use it to learn. If you want help learning how to validate ideas systematically — with or without AI — join us in an upcoming CSPO or A-CSPO workshop at Humanizing Work. Show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.humanizingwork.com/vibe-coding-prototypes-advice/ Share your challenges or episode ideas: mailbag@humanizingwork.com Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

Story points are everywhere in agile teams, but too often they’re misunderstood and frustrating. In this episode, we explain how story points really work as a form of Reference Class Forecasting and show you how to use them the right way. You’ll learn: Why story points often fail teams The simple move that makes them accurate and useful How to handle common questions about estimation Whether you’re a product owner, scrum master, or team lead, this episode will help you move past the frustration and get real value from story points. Show notes, links, and transcript for this episode: https://www.humanizingwork.com/how-to-fix-story-point-estimation/

Estimating feels responsible and concrete, but decades of research and real-world examples show it’s systematically wrong. In this episode, we share Kahneman’s work on the planning fallacy, Flyvbjerg’s analysis of megaprojects, and our own stories of estimation gone sideways. Then we show how reference class forecasting—using past outcomes instead of guesses—creates better plans, restores trust, and helps leaders place smarter bets. Forecasting is also a central move in our Complexity Aware Planning, Estimation, and Delivery (CAPED) framework, giving organizations a reliable way to plan while managing complexity. Show notes, links, and transcript: https://www.humanizingwork.com/estimating-bad-forecasting-good-episode/ Email us with your thoughts: mailbag@humanizingwork.com Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

Feedback makes decisions better, but only if it stays in the zone of healthy debate. In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, we share three practical strategies to keep feedback from tipping into unhelpful argument—and how to recover fast when it does. You’ll hear real stories of feedback gone wrong, including our own, and how using these tools—decision ownership clarity, the Humanizing Work Feedback Process, and safe-to-try experiments—helped us turn conflict back into progress. Show notes, links, and transcript for this episode: https://www.humanizingwork.com/debate-to-decision-episode/

Going from “good enough” to “great” takes more than time on task — it takes deliberate practice. In this episode, we explore the research behind deliberate practice, bust the myths around the “10,000 hour rule,” and show how to apply these principles to product work and team improvement. You’ll learn how to design work that builds skill, creates better outcomes, and keeps you motivated through the discomfort of growth. Show notes, links and transcript for this episode: https://www.humanizingwork.com/deliberate-practice-episode/ Share your challenge or episode idea: mailbag@humanizingwork.com Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

What if PI Planning didn’t just need tweaks—it needed a reframe? In this episode, we dig into the painful reality many teams face with SAFe’s PI Planning. We revisit its origin in Toyota’s “obeya” rooms, unpack how the intent was lost, and offer a better approach rooted in complexity science. Enter CAPED—a four-phase framework that guides teams through Strategic Planning, Active Planning, Analytical Planning, and then Execution. By sequencing planning this way, teams address uncertainty early, collaborate where it matters most, and avoid locking in the wrong plan too soon. If PI Planning isn’t working for you, this episode offers a path to something that will. Register for the upcoming CAPED webinar: https://www.humanizingwork.com/events/breaking-free-from-the-planning-pendulum/ Share a challenge or idea: mailbag@humanizingwork.com Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork View the Show Notes and Transcript on the Episode Page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/pi-planning-episode/

Many companies try to attract talent with flashy perks, parties, and ping-pong tables—but what if calm and supportive beats "cool" every time? This week, Peter and Richard reveal why a calm culture is the hidden key to long-term productivity and employee satisfaction. They cover how to foster intrinsic motivation, eliminate unnecessary stress, and design a workplace where real, sustainable work happens consistently.

Is your team feeling stuck even after retrospectives? In this episode, Richard and Peter share how issues in a team’s productivity, direction, and connection may be a red flag that you need a bigger reset than a typical retro, and what to do instead. 

Steven Puri left a career in Hollywood—where he worked on Independence Day, Die Hard, and Transformers—to help people find focus and ease in their work. In this conversation, Peter and Steven explore the journey from film exec to startup founder, the psychology of flow states, and what it takes to consistently do meaningful work. They cover: How leaders create culture through vision and style Why the best creatives are willing to throw out their own ideas What really gets in the way of flow—and how to design around it The origin story and design thinking behind Sukha If you're seeking less stress and more flow in your work, don’t miss this episode.

We are off this week, but will have new content next week! Catch up on past episodes at https://www.humanizingwork.com/humanizing-work-show/

Special rebroadcast episode: Mark Ethier founded iZotope and built it into an award-winning audio technology powerhouse by prioritizing empowerment, innovation, and purpose. In this conversation, Mark reveals the insights and lessons he learned about modern leadership, organizational transformation, and why genuine empowerment is the secret to sustainable innovation and high performance. Discover how Mark navigated co-founder relationships, Agile transformations, subscription-model shifts, and how he redefined accountability and the manager’s role at iZotope. Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/rebroadcast-how-mark-ethier-built-a-high-performing-organization-through-empowerment-and-purpose/ Share your challenges or episode ideas: mailbag@humanizingwork.com Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

Most Product Owner advice is built for market-facing roles—helping visionary products succeed in the market. But internal Product Owners operate in a very different world. If you're working on internal systems, platforms, or tools, you've probably felt caught in the middle—between shifting priorities, competing stakeholders, and unclear authority. And you've probably noticed that most product guidance doesn't fit your context. In this episode, we explore what internal Product Owners actually need. You'll learn: Why most standard PO advice falls short for internal roles Three categories of practices that do work: foundational, amplified, and adapted Practical tools for stakeholder interviews, value modeling, assumption testing, and more If you want to lead with more clarity, confidence, and impact in an internal-facing role, this episode is for you. Episode page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/internal-product-owner-advice/ Send us your questions or episode ideas: mailbag@humanizingwork.com Follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

Do we really need this part of Scrum? It’s a common—and valid—question. Scrum can feel heavy or mismatched for some teams. In this episode, we look at each part of Scrum through a practical lens: what purpose it serves, what advantages it brings, and what trade-offs come with skipping it. Whether you’re using all of Scrum, parts of it, or just trying to figure out what’s worth keeping, this episode will help you make those decisions with more clarity and confidence. Full episode and links:  https://www.humanizingwork.com/which-parts-of-scrum-are-essential[/](https://www.humanizingwork.com/?p=9160&preview=true) Share a challenge or suggest a topic: mailbag@humanizingwork.com Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

Too many team meetings are dominated by the same few voices, leaving others hesitant to speak up. In this episode, we share how small breakout groups create space for everyone to contribute, leading to better outcomes individually and for the team. We'll share the rules we follow for using breakouts effectively, the research on why they work, and a real-world example of using breakouts to help a team break through on a tough, high-stakes decision. Episode Page: https://www.humanizingwork.com/using-breakouts-in-team-meetings Have a challenge or an episode idea? Email us: mailbag@humanizingwork.com Connect with us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

One hard conversation changed how Peter showed up at work—and improved collaboration and creative output on the team. In this episode, Peter and Richard unpack a moment of honest, uncomfortable feedback and the ripple effects it set in motion. They share the emotional reality of both giving and receiving feedback, how it built deeper trust, and why moments like this can unlock a kind of productivity flywheel on any team. Whether you’re a team member, manager, or leader of leaders, this episode will help you see feedback not as a risk—but as an investment. Full show notes and resources at: https://www.humanizingwork.com/tough-feedback-creates-a-productivity-flywheel/ Share a challenge or episode idea: mailbag@humanizingwork.com Connect with Humanizing Work: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

When a team gets stuck—circling the same ideas without progress—the pressure is on the facilitator to do something. In this episode of the Humanizing Work Show, we share one of the most effective moves we’ve found to break that cycle: using a wildcard. You’ll hear two real stories of teams that were stuck for weeks—one from Intel’s leadership in the 1980s, and one from Peter’s own experience coaching a Scrum team. In both cases, it wasn’t brute force or analysis that created the breakthrough—it was a surprising new input that shifted the team’s thinking. We’ll explain what wildcard techniques are, why they work from a brain science perspective, and how you can start using them in your meetings right away. If you're a Scrum Master, Agile coach, or facilitator, this one's for you. Resources from this episode: Episode page: humanizingwork.com/wildcards-episode Want to share a challenge or suggest a topic? Email us at mailbag@humanizingwork.com Connect with us on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork

Want to be a more effective leader without overhauling your entire approach? Research from the Leadership Circle Profile reveals three specific competencies that are most highly correlated with great leadership: Purposeful Visionary Fosters Team Play Mentoring & Developing In this episode, we break down what each of these means, why they matter most, and how you can start practicing them in just 5 minutes a week—right inside the meetings you’re already leading. Episode resources: humanizingwork.com/top-3-traits-of-successful-leaders Send us a challenge or idea: mailbag@humanizingwork.com Learn more: humanizingwork.com/cracking-the-code-of-effective-leadership-with-the-leadership-circle Chapters (00:00:00) - Intro: Leadership Models Are Everywhere(00:00:49) - The Problem: Too Many Competencies, Not Enough Time(00:01:56) - What Really Works: The Power of the Leadership Circle(00:02:45) - This Episode’s Promise: 3 High Leverage Skills(00:03:11) - Quick CTA: Subscribe + Free Resources(00:03:49) - The 3 Competencies That Predict Leadership Success(00:04:56) - The Research: Why These 3 Rise to the Top(00:05:44) - Overview: Each Skill + a 5-Minute Habit(00:05:50) - Skill 1: Purposeful Visionary(00:07:07) - Real Example: Framing a Meeting with Purpose(00:08:44) - Free Resource: Purposeful Visionary Worksheet(00:08:59) - Skill 2: Fosters Team Play(00:10:07) - Story: Ben Zander and Collaborative Feedback(00:11:10) - 5-Minute Habit: Ask for Team Feedback(00:12:03) - Skill 3: Mentoring and Developing(00:13:25) - Reframing 1:1s for Growth(00:13:53) - 5-Minute Habit: Use the Empowering Development Scorecard(00:14:07) - Wrap Up: Why These 3 Matter Most(00:14:37) - Your Challenge: Pick One and Practice(00:15:10) - Want More Help? Coaching, 360s, and Workshops(00:15:35) - Outro: What Are You Practicing?

Giving feedback is hard—and most of us get it wrong. In this episode, we share a practical framework for giving feedback that’s more likely to be true, useful, and kind. Learn how to ground feedback in what actually happened, say it clearly and at the right time, and share it in a way that builds trust instead of tension. Whether you're a manager, team member, or coach, this approach will help you turn awkward conversations into real growth. View the episode page to view the transcript and links to other resources: https://www.humanizingwork.com/how-to-give-feedback-thats-true-useful-and-kind/ Share a challenge or episode idea: mailbag@humanizingwork.com Connect with Humanizing Work: https://www.linkedin.com/company/humanizingwork