I love learning about tools and how to use them. Here are some of the tools I use often: Manual tools I use in the kitchen. Electronic tools for my work, such as visualizing the flow of work, systems ...

This is Johanna Rothman’s September 2026 Pragmatic Manager newsletter. The Unsubscribe link is at the bottom of this email. One of my trusted advisor clients, Gary, told me he was worried about how th...

I look forward to fall every year. First, it’s apple season, with terrific, crunchy, and tart apples. Second, it’s the High Holy Days. I use the holidays to reflect on my life over the past year. Then...

My podcast this week is from the Continual Planning book. (I use a frame to embed the podcast into this post. Some RSS readers and some email clients do not show that. If you see nothing after “The Po...

Do you feel pressure to do more and more? I do. I’m pretty sure I’m not alone. But sometimes, that “more and more” creates pressure on the team and the people who interact with that team. When anyone ...

This is Johanna Rothman’s September 2026 Create an Adaptable Life Newsletter. The Unsubscribe link is at the bottom of this newsletter. When I first learned to program computers, I was not very good. ...

My podcast this week is from the Continual Planning book. Enjoy! I did make a mistake this week. Since I was trying to stay within my minute timebox, I missed adding the most important line. Here it i...

Some of you are already preparing for the salary and performance review discussions at the end of the year. (Or the beginning of next year.) Good for you, for preparing this early. You have a chance o...

My podcast this week is from the Continual Planning book. Enjoy! (I use a frame to embed the podcast into this post. Some RSS readers and some email clients do not show that. If you see nothing after ...

As I’ve processed the deaths of Dolly Parton and Tim Burton this week, I realized that I used the examples of their creativity and output as inspiration for my career. Not because I could ever “compet...

How often does your team conduct a retrospective? If you’re like most of my clients, not often enough. When I ask why the team doesn’t retrospect at least once every couple of weeks, these teams tell ...

This week’s podcast is from the Continual Planning book. Enjoy! I use a frame to embed the podcast into this post. Some RSS readers and some email clients do not show that. If you see nothing after “T...

I’ve been using Edgar Schein’s definition of corporate culture for years. (Ever since Esther explained it to me.) Schein rolled around artifacts and several other ideas, but Esther clarified them for ...

This is Johanna Rothman’s August 2026 Pragmatic Manager newsletter. The Unsubscribe link is at the bottom of this email. Do you feel as if you’re in the middle of too-frequent change? I do. Even thoug...

My podcast this week is from the Continual Planning book. Enjoy! Note: If you read this in an RSS reader, you might not see the frame below with the actual podcast. If so, please click through to this...

This is Johanna Rothman’s August 2026 Create an Adaptable Life Newsletter. The Unsubscribe link is at the bottom of this newsletter. I hear a lot about work/life balance. I don’t buy that. While we sp...

How does your team show progress? Do they use activity-based (cost accounting) measures? Or, do they demo running, tested features? And possibly use a product backlog burnup chart to see each feature ...

My podcast this week is from the Continual Planning book. If you are curious about the origins of this, read Why Minimize Management Decision Time. Enjoy! Note: If you read this in an RSS reader, you ...

As I’ve challenged myself physically, I noticed I’m talking out loud, coaching myself. My most frequent word is “Okay.” Okay is short for: “Okay, you finished that piece. Now, it’s time for the next s...

All organizations use cost accounting to report on their revenue, including profit and loss. We are so accustomed to using cost accounting that we don’t realize how it hides the truth about our progre...

This week’s podcast is from the Continual Planning book. I embed the podcast as a frame in these posts. If you cannot see the podcast, please click through to the post itself. (Or, get the RSS feed an...

Many of my colleagues use AI for parts of their jobs. (I do, too, to see what I’ve already written.) Using AI requires both trust and judgment. Trust that the LLM has given you the correct answer(s). ...

I’ve been writing professionally since 1997. While you might not agree with my stances on anything I write, you can tell I wrote it. Even in my early writing, my author voice shines through. And I lov...

This week’s podcast is from the Continual Planning book. Enjoy! (I embed the podcast in a frame just below the Podcast heading. If you do not see the frame, please click through to hear it. Or, check ...

This is Johanna Rothman’s July 2026 Pragmatic Manager Newsletter. The Unsubscribe link is at the bottom of this newsletter. (Looking for the video? I post the video within a few days of publication on...

This is Johanna Rothman’s July 2026 Create an Adaptable Life Newsletter. The Unsubscribe link is at the bottom of this newsletter. (Looking for the video? Go to the bottom of the newsletter for the vi...

David Dame, in a LinkedIn post, said, “We are all going to be disabled one day. Some of us just beat you to it.” While he is correct, that is not the full story. I said, quoting his post, “I do not th...

If you recently published a book, as I did, you might have this same experience. The scammers are out in full force. Here's what keeps happening to me. I receive an email with a Gmail address, from a ...

fragments 06 Jul 2026

This is Johanna Rothman’s June 2026 Pragmatic Manager Newsletter. The Unsubscribe link is at the bottom of this newsletter. Most of us have worked with managers who guided our careers. But managers ar...

My podcast this week is from the Continual Planning book. While I do embed the podcast into this post, you might not see it. Or, you might see a black or white box, depending on whether you read direc...

The Tartan Army has left Boston. They are bringing their joy to other locales. The local newspaper, the Boston Globe, took out a full-page ad, thanking the Tartan Army. While I can’t find the actual a...

I started this series discussing where AI use might create bottlenecks. The more people work solo on anything, the more likely they become bottlenecks for the team. When each person works solo with AI...

My podcast this week is from the Continual Planning book. Enjoy! (You might not see the podcast in the frame below, depending on how you read my feed. If you see a blank space or a white box, do click...

While I manage my alcoholic intake because of my vertigo, there is nothing like a great beer at just the right time. On vacation, or on a hot summer day, especially after something active. Right now, ...

In How to Use Value Stream Maps to See Where AI Creates Bottlenecks Part 1, I described three teams that used LLMs. However, those teams only used LLMs as individuals, reinforcing resource-efficiency ...

Value Stream Maps & AI Bottlenecks, Why Can’t You Agree a New Value Prop, People Who Care Are Having the Hardest Time, & more!

This is Johanna Rothman’s June 2026 Create an Adaptable Life Newsletter. The Unsubscribe link is at the bottom of this newsletter. We have no end of problems to solve or manage these days. Some proble...

My podcast this week is from the Continual Planning book. This is my first draft of the description, the text that goes on the back of the book. It's a first draft because it doesn't get to the point ...

So many people (and some teams) work under mandates to “use AI.” While I am a fan of these two functions for the current LLMs: The ability to create fast prototypes for human assessment and judgment. ...

I am so pleased to announce that my newest book, Effective Public Speaking: How to Use Content Marketing With Stories to Show Your Value, is out everywhere. If you write books or consult as part of yo...

I had a wonderful time with Nigel Rawlins on his Wisepreneur podcast: Johanna Rothman Independent Consulting: Principles That Outlast Every Trend. We had a wide-ranging conversation about many aspects...

Most of us have some form of inner critic. That critic tells us we are Wrong. Or Stupid. Or Bad. (This includes Imposter Syndrome.) My inner critic often shows up when I’m writing. You should see the ...

My podcast this week is from the Continual Planning book. Enjoy! Note: if you read via an RSS reader, you might see a black box or white space instead of the podcast player below. If so, please click ...

Have you ever negotiated a consulting proposal or a new job? If so, you might have heard the (untrue) problem that there is not enough money for your proposal or what you want for salary. There is alm...