Leadership Insights Blog by Peter Alkema

World champion surfer and motivational speaker Shaun Tomson inspires thousands of people every year to take their next wave by committing to 12 simple and personal statements of intent. School kids, students, corporate teams and CEOs have all experienced the power of his message – one that was developed in the highs and lows of …

“I Will” – A surfer’s code for a personal mission Read More »

IndigoCube’s Business Agility 2018 offered expert insights from two leading Agile thinkers who have practiced their craft for decades with leading companies around the world. Building on their key roles in the Agile movement, they have developed and applied ways to help teams “Be Awesome”, especially in complex transformational journeys. Their Disciplined Agile framework drives …

“A Disciplined Viewpoint” with Scott Ambler and Mark Lines Read More »

Ambitiously sub-titled “Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency and the journey to being your own bank”, Dingle’s compact and very accessible book offers practical insights and a first-principles discussion of the “evolution of human trust”. Since the Bitcoin bubble of late 2017 most crypto-disciples have gone quiet – Dingle sees this as a natural inflection point in its unstoppable …

[Book Review] “In Math We Trust – The Future of Money” by Simon Dingle Read More »

I recently presented at the Raising Boys and Girls 2018 conference at St Stithians; we looked at the latest trends in technology, how they are shaping the world of work and what the likely implications are for education. Formal employment creates demand for skills but if companies are being disrupted and jobs are changing or …

St Stithians Raising Boys and Girls 2018 – “Educating for the Future” Read More »

My human-factors research on Agile software development teams is developing a theory about what is going on in their environment, specifically regarding the impact of management and leadership in large organisations. Part 1 – introduces the core category of “Personifying Practices” as a way of explaining certain human interaction Part 2 (this article) – constructs the theory in more …

“Personifying Practices” – A theory of Agile teams, Part 2 Read More »

My human-factors research on Agile software development teams is developing a theory about what is going on in their environment, specifically regarding the impact of management and leadership in large organisations. Part 1 (This article) – introduces the core category of “Personifying Practices” as a way of explaining certain human interaction Part 2 – constructs …

“Personifying Practices” – A theory of Agile teams, Part 1 Read More »

This is an important question for leaders, and one that Robert Goffee and Gareth Jones attempt to answer in this book which is largely based on their work with firms and leaders in many different spheres. They argue that effective leadership requires a strong does of authenticity in how leaders interact with their teams; “know …

[Book Review] Why Should Anyone Be Led By You? Read More »

The advertising industry is grappling with disruptive forces and I was privileged to spend some time at GREY South Africa recently, talking about the technologies behind some key trends. The so-called fourth industrial revolution has seen the rise of cyber-physical systems like Tilley Lockey’s new bionc arm and a host of new capabilities that are …

Disruption at GREY; colouring outside the lines Read More »

This article provides initial results from ongoing research into Agile software development teams in large companies. Such teams usually depend on management’s policies and processes to establish and run their organisational environment, while they focus on the job of delivering great software. The Agile Manifesto specifies that such environments must be supportive and we must, …

Factors affecting Agile team environments Read More »

The future of banking is lightweight and automated on the inside, helpful and digital on the outside. The South African banking sector has consistently ranked in the top 10 in the world. It employs over 150 000 people, provides a backbone of financing and money management solutions and helps drive inclusion and access to the formal …

The Future of Banking – A South African perspective Read More »

They are the unsung heroes of every airport and commercial flight; the calm quiet voice in the pilot’s ears talking him through landing and take-off. The air traffic controller (ATC) is one of the most stressful jobs in the world, responsible for the safety of hundreds of thousands of air passengers daily. Heathrow control tower …

Strategic Portfolio Management – Air Traffic Controllers of the corporate skies Read More »

Last week’s ITWeb & Brainstorm CIO Banquet featured the release of the 2017 CIO survey results at a prestigious gathering of top leaders in South Africa’s IT industry. I was privileged to present a keynote message in which I covered the role of business, government and education in the sector. I also touched on cyber-security, …

CIO Banquet 2017: Keynote Address Part 1 – Techpreneurs Read More »