Tricia Munsey, President, Infinity Academy and Consulting

 I saw this post that said, "#1 skill for life: Be a good human." So true.  I have found in my journey that the values and principles that are at the core of Agile and Scrum align in so many ways with being a good human.  We value individuals, we empower teams, we don't operate with a traditional command-and-control approach but instead seek the input from the team on their work.  I have had the honor of working with this framework that supports principles spoken and unspoken from my very core.      

This Scrum framework is more than a guide to get a job done.  It is the perfect foundation to allow me to be myself, and be kind, help others, serve and support them in doing the same as they collaborate.  Through this approach, the way Scrum can transform the way a team works, and the way Scrum can transform the way a team interacts, the way it guides them to be transparent and improve can be transformative.  Seeing this reality with my first IT team sold me on the concept, and instilled a desire to share this, to help more teams, and put in place a desire to be Agile as a small part of "being a good human" as I worked.   

In my Agile journey, I made a habit of seeing what the team needed, taking training where and however I could in support of this need, coming back to the team with that knowledge, discussing, sharing and training them so my knowledge then was shared with the team.  While working with an early team that previously was obsessed with CYA work and documentation, that had no trust, that had various team dysfunctions I was amazed how it was transformed as we worked together and started to apply the values and principles of Agile and Scrum. It had powerful good results; however, I am but one person.  I have impact in this role but it can be limited in reach as a team Scrum Master.  If I can train more people and share Agile and Scrum with more people in formal and informal settings, I can make a bigger difference.  I can help more people with the power of exponential application and sharing of this gift of Agile and Scrum.  I found tremendous fulfillment when teaching teams, seeing them grow, and it would be tremendous to know I am impacting on scale through my company, Infinity Academy and Consulting, LLC.    

I believe it is important for me to now be a trainer on this journey because I may have the strong desire, ability and opportunity to connect with more and underserved individuals.  I came from a non-IT background, and years ago could not see myself in such a fulfilling role.  I was from and in a lower socio-economic class.  Through the years I struggled, and pushed myself and at expense, I made sure I obtained college degrees while working. I then continued my professional development and made the most of opportunities until now I find myself here, happy, making a difference, and helping others in their pursuit of personal and professional happiness.      

Now I am learning I can help in other high-need areas in our IT space, connecting people.  In addition to training on Agile and Scrum, through Infinity Academy and Consulting, my brother and I will teach people how to “Breach the like barrier,” and connect with others, so that important messages can be shared and visions pursued in unison.      

Additionally, the most recent course I am adding is training about how to train and teach effectively.  By offering “Training from the BACK of the Room” and other classes on Brain-Based Learning Principles I can empower trainers to train in a way that learners can learn effectively.  If learners can learn, it can open new doors for them and make their possibilities almost infinite. 

Looking ahead, I can see how I can do more.  With my unique ability to connect with people, my ideas for different ways to reach out, my willingness to go to great lengths and new roads on my journey (literally and figuratively), I believe I can do this effectively and at scale in a way few others could.  In addition to being a trainer in common corporate settings, I want to find underserved areas.  I want to create opportunities to connect with people like myself that may have not had anyone encourage them, or may have come from a background where they are a first-generation professionals and trying to find their place in this competitive world; I want to be one of the people that tells them they can do so much more, how Agile and Scrum can lead to new paths professionally and how that path can be one that takes them places.  I want to give them the knowledge and the tools, along with the encouragement to help these individuals, and then I want them pay that forward helping others.  With my place in life, the best way for me to make this a reality is to be an entrepreneur and trainer, dedicated to my craft, being uplifted by the greater purpose of empowering others, serving and always being a good human.