Future Of Work Mastery (ex Enterprise Agility Mastery)

Ian Banner and Friends

The Future of Work Podcast is bought for you by the Future Of Work Crew. Our Crew consists of thought leaders from around the world who record the podcast for an international audience – free of timezones. You can listen when you want. We cover knowledge work areas related to the use of AI, Transformation Skills, Leadership, Lean and Agility We do this to help increase the skills, knowledge and experience across the community - and it’s for free🙂 Every week we will be exploring another part of this wonderful Landscape. Each episode is recorded live and unscripted. For more info and show notes go to https://linktr.ee/ianbanner futureofwork.site

  1. The £100 Million Vanity Trap: Why Green Dashboards Hide Red Reality

    7 SEP

    The £100 Million Vanity Trap: Why Green Dashboards Hide Red Reality

    In this episode, Ian brings together an extraordinary crew with over 100 years of combined delivery experience to tackle one of the most expensive problems in modern project management: the gap between looking busy and delivering actual business value. Joining Ian are Steve Forbes, Peter Wichmann, with 30 years of insurance IT delivery, and Roy Thomas, with 25 years of transformation experience across telecoms, energy, and financial services. This isn't a theoretical discussion—it's hard-won wisdom from professionals who've navigated the complexities of large-scale delivery and lived to tell the tale. The conversation reveals why 73% of strategic initiatives fail despite appearing successful on dashboards, introduces the "watermelon problem" that's costing organisations millions, and provides practical frameworks for measuring what actually matters. You'll discover why sponsors make emotional decisions without data, how the sunk cost fallacy kills projects that should succeed, and what needs to be true all the time for your delivery to survive funding reviews. This crew episode represents the kind of practical, battle-tested insights you can only get from people who've been there, done that, and have the scars to prove it. Whether you're struggling with stakeholder management, fighting vanity metrics, or trying to demonstrate real business value, this conversation provides actionable frameworks you can implement immediately. Thanks for reading The Future of Work Mastery! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Thanks for reading The Future of Work Mastery! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit futureofwork.site

    32 min
  2. When Being Great At Your Job Isn’t Enough - Why Smart Leaders Never Skip The Power Of Weekly Reports

    26 JUL

    When Being Great At Your Job Isn’t Enough - Why Smart Leaders Never Skip The Power Of Weekly Reports

    Introduction In this episode, Ian Banner and Steve Forbes tackle one of the most universally dreaded professional obligations: weekly reports. But this isn't your typical discussion about administrative burden—it's a revelation about how AI can transform your most tedious professional task into your most powerful career acceleration tool. Ian reveals his complete AI-assisted reporting methodology, including his iterative approach using voice transcription and strategic content refinement. You'll discover why the "no-ING words" rule eliminates weak professional communication and how systematic reporting doubles as strategic week-ahead preparation. Steve shares his insights on taking clients on the professional journey with you, the three levels of value communication that resonate across organisational priorities, and why good work that can't be communicated becomes invisible work that limits career advancement. This conversation will completely transform how you think about weekly reporting—from seeing it as compliance overhead to recognising it as systematic reputation building. Whether you're a consultant, team lead, or senior executive, you'll learn practical frameworks for leveraging AI to eliminate the boring bits whilst building the professional visibility that drives career success. Stop avoiding weekly reports. Start mastering them as strategic influence campaigns that advocate for you when you're not in the room. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Weekly Reports and AI 07:01 Using AI for Weekly Reports 15:20 Iterative Reporting and Cultural Considerations 21:34 Taking Clients on the Journey 29:49 Articulating Value in Report Thanks for reading The Future of Work Mastery! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Thanks for reading The Future of Work Mastery! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit futureofwork.site

    33 min
  3. The Six-Month Transformation Challenge: Why Legacy Enterprises Need Battle-Scarred Guides, Not Book-Smart Consultants

    7 JUL

    The Six-Month Transformation Challenge: Why Legacy Enterprises Need Battle-Scarred Guides, Not Book-Smart Consultants

    In this episode, Ian and Erik tackle one of the most challenging scenarios in transformation work: How do you change a hundred-year-old organisation in just six months? This isn't about startups or Silicon Valley success stories—this is about real legacy enterprises with proven track records, established customers, and systems that have generated decades of profit. Erik Hansen joins Ian from Seattle to share hard-won insights from the trenches of enterprise transformation. Both speakers bring battle scars from working with organisations that don't fit the textbook case studies—companies where the challenge isn't building something new, but evolving something that's been working whilst maintaining the relationships and standards that built their success. You'll discover why most transformation consultants fail in legacy environments, learn the ally-finding formula that actually works, and understand how to use customer pain points as change catalysts. Erik shares real examples from his current work at a global financial institution, whilst Ian reveals lessons from transforming century-old organisations across multiple sectors. This episode is essential listening for anyone tasked with driving change in established organisations where evolution beats revolution every time. Click play to learn why respect for existing success breeds the trust that enables transformation. Chapters 00:00 Navigating Life Changes 02:35 Career Transitions and New Opportunities 05:05 Health and Personal Growth 07:43 Investment Strategies and Financial Planning 10:27 Agile Coaching and Organisational Design 16:06 Future of Work and Personal Development 24:45 Planning a Visit to the Pacific Northwest 26:54 Transforming Legacy Organisations 34:53 The Role of Champions in Change 40:51 Identifying Pain Points for Transformation 48:03 Leveraging Crises for Opportunities 53:28 Key Takeaways and Reflections https://linktr.ee/ianbanner Thanks for reading The Future of Work Mastery! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. Thanks for reading The Future of Work Mastery! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit futureofwork.site

    31 min
  4. The Future of Your Professional Development: From Corporate Programmes to Personal Pathways"

    25 JUN

    The Future of Your Professional Development: From Corporate Programmes to Personal Pathways"

    Introduction In this episode, Ian Banner and Maria MacCloud tackle one of the most uncomfortable truths in professional development: your company cannot and will not take complete responsibility for training you for success. Together, they explore why generic corporate training programmes are like fast food for your career - satisfying in the moment but lacking the nutrition for sustained growth. Ian introduces his powerful concept of treating yourself as both the product and the product owner of your own career, whilst Maria provides candid perspectives on navigating development opportunities when budgets are tight and competition with peers is real. They dive deep into learning pathways, the three-expert rule for finding genuine thought leaders, and how AI tools can accelerate your research whilst highlighting why human discernment remains irreplaceable. This isn't just another conversation about professional development - it's a manifesto for taking complete ownership of your career trajectory in an industry that changes faster than most training programmes can adapt. Sound Bites "Your job is to do your job 90% of the time." "Your career is your responsibility." "Rising tides lift all boats." Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Technical Issues 02:34 Taking Ownership of Your Training 05:27 The Limitations of Corporate Training 08:09 Navigating Learning Opportunities 11:24 The Importance of Learning Pathways 14:20 Creating a Learning Pathway 17:11 Utilising AI for Learning 20:07 The Role of Experience in Learning 23:17 Accountability and Support in Learning 26:06 Final Thoughts on Career Development If you like it, please subscribe and share it with someone you know would listen. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit futureofwork.site

    40 min
  5. As The Tools Changed, Did Your Process? From Rigid Frameworks to Flexible Cadences

    18 JUN

    As The Tools Changed, Did Your Process? From Rigid Frameworks to Flexible Cadences

    In this episode, Ian Banner and Steve Forbes tackle one of the most contentious debates in modern software development: why teams are slowly moving from traditional Scrum practices. Drawing from the latest State of Agile Report data, they reveal how Scrum adoption has plummeted from 58% to 51% whilst Kanban and custom frameworks surge ahead. But this isn't another "Agile is dead" rant. Instead, Ian and Steve make a provocative case that whilst Agile principles remain vital, lockstep time boxing has become a relic of the 1990s. They explore how modern tools—from Git to AI—have fundamentally changed the game, making two-week sprints feel like an eternity in today's development cycles. The conversation dives deep into practical alternatives, from "sneaky peeks" for product owners to strategic six-week reviews for stakeholders. Steve shares war stories from teams that have successfully implemented mixed cadences, whilst Ian provides hard-won insights about avoiding the "Frankenstein hybrid" trap that combines the worst of all methodologies. This episode offers a blueprint for evolving beyond rigid frameworks whilst maintaining the discipline that makes Agile effective. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Initial Thoughts 06:01 Transitioning from Scrum to Kanban 12:04 Defining Agile Frameworks 17:57 The Evolution of Software Development Practices 25:57 Retrospectives: Frequency and Necessity 34:47 Planning: Short-term vs Long-term Perspectives 40:51 Strategic Value and Measuring Success The latest State of Agile Report https://linktr.ee/ianbanner This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit futureofwork.site

    40 min
  6. Varifocal Leadership: Why Your Strategy Needs Reading Glasses

    9 JUN

    Varifocal Leadership: Why Your Strategy Needs Reading Glasses

    Ian Banner teams up with Erik Hansen from Seattle and Maria MacCloud from New York to tackle one of the most costly leadership challenges in the knowledge economy: the inability to switch between tactical execution and strategic vision seamlessly. Drawing from real-world examples of decision paralysis and organisational dysfunction, they explore why most leaders excel at either firefighting or long-term planning, but rarely both simultaneously. Eric shares insights about how Scrum methodology can build "varifocal" thinking into team DNA, while Maria introduces the powerful OODA loop framework for faster organisational orientation. Ian reveals his personal journey from tactical firefighter to strategic thinker, including the uncomfortable realisation that he might have let some fires burn just to look heroic. Together, they unpack the warning signs of temporal misalignment, the art of "reading the room's timeframe," and practical techniques for building what they call "bifocal teams" that can execute brilliantly whilst maintaining strategic context. Whether you're struggling with endless prioritisation debates, watching brilliant teams argue past each other, or trying to connect daily execution with quarterly objectives, this conversation provides actionable frameworks for developing temporal intelligence. Click the audio link to discover which timeframe you default to and learn how to build the competitive advantage of "bifocal leadership." Chapters 00:00 Introduction to VariFocal Leadership 02:52 The Tension Between Short-Term and Long-Term Goals 05:58 The Importance of Team Collaboration 09:01 Reading the Moment: Understanding Context 11:51 Utilising Scrum for Focal Leadership 14:49 The OODA Loop and Its Relevance 18:06 Empowering Teams to Be Very Focal 20:46 Wrap-Up and Key Takeaways This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit futureofwork.site

    30 min
  7. Mythology for Managers: 12 Archetypes Every Leader Needs to have in their toolkit

    1 JUN

    Mythology for Managers: 12 Archetypes Every Leader Needs to have in their toolkit

    Introduction Ian Banner and Steve Forbes explore a revolutionary approach to leadership that most MBA programs never teach. Steve shares his fascinating research journey into why cultures become toxic and how leaders often get trapped in inappropriate archetypes for their situations. Ian brings his characteristic energy and real-world examples, including stories about cement trucks, Yoda's backwards speech patterns, and why some coaches claiming to "speak truth to power" are just wearing grown-up clothes. Together, they map out practical frameworks for conscious archetype switching that C-level leaders can implement immediately. Whether you're struggling with organisational dysfunction, leading transformation initiatives, or want to expand your leadership toolkit beyond traditional command-and-control models, this conversation provides actionable insights for the future of work. You can listen to discover which archetype you default to and learn how to consciously shift your leadership stance based on your organisation's needs. Takeaways Leadership requires different stances; one size doesn't fit all. Toxic cultures often stem from leaders not adapting their archetypes. The Sage archetype brings wisdom and insight, guiding others. The Magician archetype catalyses change and transformation. The Lover archetype fosters connection and empathy among team members. The Jester archetype disrupts patterns and encourages playfulness. The Knight archetype embodies courage and the pursuit of quests. The Everyman archetype promotes inclusivity and teamwork. The Caregiver archetype nurtures and supports team members. The Ruler archetype establishes order and clarity in leadership. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Leadership Archetypes 02:52 Exploring Toxic Cultures and Leadership Styles 06:04 The Twelve Archetypes of Leadership 09:05 Deep Dive into the Sage Archetype 12:02 Understanding the Magician Archetype 15:06 The Lover Archetype: Building Connections 17:56 The Jester: Disruption and Playfulness 20:54 The Knight: Quest and Achievement 23:46 The Everyman: Team Player 26:56 The Caregiver: Nurturing and Support 29:51 The Ruler: Order and Control 33:13 The Creator: Innovation and Imagination 36:05 The Explorer: Seeking New Horizons 38:11 The Rebel: Challenging the Status Quo This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit futureofwork.site

    38 min
  8. The Priority Problem: When Every Value Can't Be Number One

    25 MAY

    The Priority Problem: When Every Value Can't Be Number One

    In this episode, Ian Banner and Steve Forbes dive deep into one of the most practical frameworks for building authentic organisational culture: the Care Ladder. Moving beyond generic corporate values that gather dust on office walls, they explore how teams can discover what they genuinely care about and turn those insights into powerful decision-making tools. Steve introduces the Care Ladder concept—a prioritised hierarchy of team values that forces hard choices and creates real clarity when competing priorities clash. Ian shares creative facilitation techniques, from bubble sorting to physical movement exercises, that help teams uncover their authentic values through structured discovery processes. The conversation reveals why cultural change must occur indirectly through values, behaviours, and systems rather than through top-down mandates. They explore the ancient wisdom of "know yourself" and how team self-knowledge becomes the foundation for sustainable transformation. Whether you're leading organisational change or trying to align your team around shared priorities, this episode provides actionable frameworks you can implement immediately. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Care Values 01:02 Understanding the Care Ladder 04:56 Implementing the Care Ladder in Teams 09:59 Facilitating Team Values Discussions 16:38 The Relationship Between Values and Culture 18:56 Indirectly Changing Culture Through Values 23:48 Conclusion: The Importance of Caring in Teams This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit futureofwork.site

    26 min

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The Future of Work Podcast is bought for you by the Future Of Work Crew. Our Crew consists of thought leaders from around the world who record the podcast for an international audience – free of timezones. You can listen when you want. We cover knowledge work areas related to the use of AI, Transformation Skills, Leadership, Lean and Agility We do this to help increase the skills, knowledge and experience across the community - and it’s for free🙂 Every week we will be exploring another part of this wonderful Landscape. Each episode is recorded live and unscripted. For more info and show notes go to https://linktr.ee/ianbanner futureofwork.site

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