New Year New Blog

On being explicit and planning in the open.

For those who have read my previous blog on Medium, I have now moved to Substack. Medium no longer feels like the right platform for me, so I’m kicking off 2025 with a fresh blogging platform and soon, a fresh start in a new hemisphere, continent, and country: Sydney, Australia.

A New Chapter in Sydney

After 15 incredible years abroad, I’m thrilled to return to the “motherland” and see what the future holds. Fortunately, I’ll continue my journey with my current employer, TeamForm.co, a nimble company making waves in the ways-of-working, strategy to execution and teaming space.

What’s Ahead?

Moving back to Australia after so long will be an adventure. I’m eager to establish roots, build a local network, and reconnect with the community, starting with the people I already know. Meeting new people and finally connecting with others in person is something I’m really looking forward to.

My partner and I will initially settle in Sydney and take some time to find our footing. This move represents a bigger adjustment for my partner, who isn’t from Australia. However, the change in environment and climate promises to be refreshing for our physical and mental well-being.

Reflecting on 2024

The past 12 months have flown by. Working for a smaller, more agile company with a clear sense of purpose has shown me just how fast you can move when you’re focused and unencumbered by bureaucracy. After years in financial services at a large, heavily regulated bank, the contrast couldn’t be starker.

TeamForm’s dedication to enabling customer value has been a breath of fresh air. This isn’t a post about TeamForm, though, as much as it’s about how major changes—jobs, roles, organizations, countries—can open up new opportunities and perspectives.

Initially, I had concerns about making such a significant transition:

• Could I navigate a different organization, or was I only suited to my previous one?

• Did I have what it takes to succeed elsewhere?

• Were my skills and experiences transferable?

The short answer: yes to all three.

The longer answer deserves its own blog post. For now, it’s clear to me that both the “agile” and “product” communities are experiencing growing pains. As product management evolves, there’s a risk it could repeat some of agile’s missteps, such as over-reliance on one-size-fits-all solutions and certification-driven approaches. Chris Matts’ recent blog offers a thoughtful, yet tongue in cheek prediction of what could go wrong if this trend continues.

There’s no universal solution to every problem or context. While it’s tempting to package and sell such solutions, they often fall short of delivering the outcomes organizations seek. If we’re not careful, Flow could become the next over-commoditized topic. My friends Steve Pereira and Andrew Davis explore this in their 2024 book, Flow Engineering. It’s an excellent read, but like all methodologies, it’s not a panacea.

Looking to the Future

Despite these challenges, I’m optimistic about what’s ahead. The world is full of incredible people to learn from if you’re paying attention.

For this blog in 2025 and beyond, I want to share insights, reflections, and lessons across a variety of topics. My goals include:

• Helping at least two people land new jobs.

• Writing at least five blog posts here.

• Reading at least 40 books.

• Publishing at least five book reviews.

• Delivering at least two talks (meetups/events).

I’m particularly interested in exploring value streams, value networks, and what it takes for portfolio-level teams and teams-of-teams to interact effectively and continuously improve those interactions. I also want to deepen my understanding of socio-technical systems and the complexities they entail.

Additionally, I see opportunities to create more open-source and Creative Commons content to build shared language and understanding within communities and organizations. Too often, people use the same words but mean entirely different things. This is especially true for tooling vendors.

What Do You Want to See?

What topics would you like me to explore? I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas. Let’s make this space a platform for shared learning and growth.