The Agile Tao Dov Tsal & Peter Merel
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- Society & Culture
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About 2500 years before the Agile Manifesto, Lao Tzu wrote a book on the agile mindset. Join us for a deep dive into that first manifesto.
In each episode, we will discuss a poem or two from Peter's book - "The Agile Tao (Lao Tzu Refactored)" - to understand what Lao Tzu had to say about agility, transformation, leadership, and life.
About us:
Dov Tsal is an agile coach and a self-proclaimed Taoist.
Peter Merel is the author of The Agile Tao, a deep-thinker, a translator, and a joy to talk to.
And Hey!
We are in the top Tao-Related podcasts for 2020!
Full list: https://bit.ly/TopTaoPods
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S2E4 - War! - about revolution, weapons, warfare, reserve, surrender, subversion and mutual benefits.
What does Lao Tzu have to say about war?
Looking from the eyes of the aggressor, the attacked, and of course from a wider angle.
You can find the book, as always, at https://leanpub.com/agiletao
And the beautiful music is still played by Guitarist Gilad Hekselman, bassist Petros Klampanis, and drummer Ziv Ravitz and can be found here.
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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dov-tsal/message -
S2E3 - The Captain /Shaping Wood
This time, two poems from part 2
- We talked about the role of a leader. what makes a leader one?
- We also talked about the constant attention required from a craftsperson of any kind to attend to its material.
Here are the poems, hope you enjoy them!
And a special thanks to Hekselman, Klampanis & Ravitz for the beautiful music I never get tired of.
29. The Captain (xxvi)
A great captain tirelessly guides his ship at sea
So that, safe in port, he may lose it in sleep.
So calm is the master of haste
And care the path to ease.
The captain of a great ship
Does not treat it like a pleasure boat
Acting carelessly or hastily.
Without care he loses his bearings at sea;
Without calm he loses the trust of the crew.
The great captain doesn’t lead his ship like a jade figurehead
But steadies her like a stone keel.
Shaping Wood (xxvii)
A great explorer leaves no trail unmapped;
A great teacher no question unanswered;
A great detective no fact unexplained;
A great watchman no threat unchecked;
A great tailor no thread unravelled.
So the agile account for everyone
And neglect no one.
Accepting all, neglecting none,
They account for the weakest.
The strong must guide the weak
For the weak are the source of their strength.
If the strong are careless and neglect the weak,
Chaos results no matter how clever they are.
This is their method of adaptation:
As wood is shaped, it becomes a tool;
As a person is served, they become a servant;
So a great carpenter leaves no wood uncarved.
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S2E2: Flow (2/2)
Last time, we started reading Flow - the first part of the Agile Tao, we are back with the second part.
Join Peter and me, and connect to the Agile Tao.
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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dov-tsal/message -
S2E1: Flow (1/2)
We are back, after a long break.
To start our second season, and as Flow, the first part of the book, reached a stable version, we are reading thru it, letting it unfold like a story.
This episode contains the first poems of the Flow part, and was a joy to record (as always)
The wonderful music recorded by Guitarist Gilad Hekselman, bassist Petros Klampanis, and drummer Ziv Ravitz can be found here.
You can send us any questions to theAgileTaoPodcast@gmal.com
And the book can be found at LeanPub by pressing the link.
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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dov-tsal/message -
E12: Collaboration
Today's episode is about the power of collaboration, about how being a part of something bigger allows you to do magic.
Join us to hear about how starlings and dolphins cooperate, and what can you do to unleash the power of collaboration.
22. Collaboration (xii/iii)
Agility builds collaboration, not competition;
Feeds interdependence, not dependence;
Empties peoples’ mouths to fill their bellies;
Softens their hearts to strengthen their bones.
It controls politics by not privileging responsibility;
Bureaucracy by not delegating management;
Scarcity by not allocating roles.
Agility decentralizes ownership and leadership
So those who provide them can’t exploit them;
When no one can take advantage, Harmony remains.
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The wonderful music recorded by Guitarist Gilad Hekselman, bassist Petros Klampanis, and drummer Ziv Ravitz can be found here.
You can send us any questions to theAgileTaoPodcast@gmal.com
And the book can be found at LeanPub by pressing the link.
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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dov-tsal/message -
E11: Ecosystem
What is an ecosystem? what makes it flow, or be blocked?
Today's poem (from the Flow part) examines the source of its benefits and interactions that make (or break) it.
4. Ecosystem (iv/vi/vii/v)
Evolving and revolving,
Life can’t be cut, knotted, dimmed or stilled;
Nor the source of thought
Be plumbed by thought.
Reflecting and responding,
Mind adapts all flesh.
Rippling and refracting,
None breach its shining surface.
Splitting and merging,
Nature follows all paths.
Ranging beyond reach,
None span its winding delta.
Pulsing at root and lung,
Harmony connects all needs;
For what one treats as waste
Another thirsts and breathes.
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The wonderful music recorded by Guitarist Gilad Hekselman, bassist Petros Klampanis, and drummer Ziv Ravitz can be found here.
You can send us any questions to theAgileTaoPodcast@gmal.com
And the book can be found at LeanPub by pressing the link.
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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dov-tsal/message
Customer Reviews
Bingeable Unique and Beautiful Exploration of Agile and the Tao
I discovered this podcast at a perfect intersection of my professional career as I will be working to implement new management structures within a large waterfall driven environment. The concept of the book of Tao as enlightening our views of teamwork, collaboration, leadership and management through an agile lens is a wonderful reset to help you pull out of the minutia of implementation to bring yourself and organization’s purpose into perspective.
Look forward to a continued exploration this theme of Peter’s wonder book. Also truly appreciate hearing these reading with Dov’s beautifully inquisitive nature and almost hearing these poems through his ears.
Thank you!