Most agile practices have become widely adopted—but cross-functional team structures remain the exception. Despite clear benefits like faster learning, shorter time to market, and simpler coordination, many teams still depend on others to get work done.

In this episode, Peter Green and Richard Lawrence share three practical strategies to reduce the pain of cross-team dependencies and make work flow better right where you are. You’ll learn how to spot where complexity really lives, use the CAPED model to collaborate across teams, define clear interfaces, and make the flow of value visible to build a case for change.

Full episode page, transcript, and resources:
https://www.humanizingwork.com/reduce-the-pain-of-cross-team-dependencies/

An overgrown backlog is not a promise—it’s a drag on focus and trust. Peter and Richard explain how to release the weight of GTD-style open commitments, use a Kondo-inspired “thank it and let it go,” and sort work into Active / Archive / Someday-Maybe. When needed, declare Backlog Bankruptcy and rebuild from the top, aligned to purpose. Less noise. More signal. Real momentum.

Check out the episode page for links, a transcript, and other resources: https://www.humanizingwork.com/life-changing-focus-clean-backlog/

If your calendar is full of “quick requests” and constant context switching, you’re not alone.
In this episode, Peter Green and Richard Lawrence explore why saying no at work is so hard—and how to do it well.

They share five practical, research-backed ways to protect focus and maintain trust:

1. Purpose – Use a clear team purpose as your filter for incoming requests.

2. Goals – Anchor decisions to aligned commitments, not personal priorities.

3. Flow – Protect attention and energy to finish meaningful work.

4. Decision Rights – Clarify who decides what, so refusals aren’t personal.

5. Stewardship – Reframe “no” as an act of service to your commitments.

Along the way, they reference organizational psychology research on attention residue, goal-setting, role clarity, and empowered refusal—and share practical ways to translate those findings into daily team habits.

Listen to learn how to stop reacting, focus on what matters, and say no gracefully.

Full transcript and links:
https://www.humanizingwork.com/research-backed-ways-to-say-no-without-being-a-jerk/