Turnaround Files is a short, narrative case-file show where we unpack real turnarounds in tech, product, and delivery. Each story goes from constraint -> one small enabling change -> measured outcomes, with dual commentary (Coach x Manager) and a stealable artifact leaders can use tomorrow. We are closing the gap between theory and practice by sharing what practitioners already learned.
Our North Star is an artifact steal rate: downloads per 100 listens. We spotlight episodes that measurably help listeners.
What makes Season 1 special
Apart from the fact that it is our first season and will involve a lot of experimeintation and learning, season 1 aims to provide:
- Dual-lens analysis: Coach x Manager, aimed at measurable outcomes.
- Evidence over opinion: before/after numbers (DORA plus a customer or finance metric) and a reusable artifact every time.
- Tight, repeatable, useful content: 18-22 minutes; cold open, reported story, coach lens, manager lens, metric snapshot, try-tomorrow bet, artifact link.
- Finishable and shareable insights: concise narrative, de-jargonized, designed to be reused by teams.
Topics we are lining up
- Why WIP limits work.
- Coaching managers.
- Flow and delivery transformation: estimation theater -> split-first patterns; "Split-or-Skip Decision Tree."
- Psychological safety and team dynamics: incident finger-pointing -> blameless postmortem; "Five Whys Without Blame."
- Expectations and communication: date-promise whiplash -> confidence intervals; "Probabilistic Roadmap Template."
- Fungibility and task management: stop reinventing routine work; inventory hand-offs.
- Scaling and org design (Team Topologies): tangled dependencies -> platform boundaries; "Team Interaction Modes Canvas."
- Collaborative architecture: break silos with ensemble sessions; starter kit + timer.
- Outgrowing your process: retire performative ceremonies; "Team Cadence Design Canvas."
- Advanced if it fits: Flow Lanes, Feature Flags, 90-Day Monolith Squeeze, Betlog, Compliance as a Service, LLM-assisted PR reviews.
- Or, bring your own topic.
How an episode flows
- Cold open (stakes)
- Reported story (your tape plus narration)
- Coach lens -> Manager lens
- Metric snapshot
- Try-tomorrow bet (with a kill-or-scale rule)
- Artifact link in the notes
What guests get
- Elevate your practice: showcase a real turnaround with numbers and a tangible artifact others can adopt (with anonymization as needed).
- Steward the craft: add short, evidence-based case studies the community can learn from.
- Amplification: show notes and blog post; potential selection for a book (Season -> Book Part; "Rescue Pack" appendix).
- Impact focus: we track and celebrate artifact steal rate.
What we ask from guests
- A clear constraint and one bet you made to address it.
- One or two before/after numbers (ranges are fine) that moved because of the bet.
- An artifact leaders can steal (template, rubric, canvas, checklist) - or inputs so we can co-create one with you.
- Anonymization rights if client- or org-sensitive; we will confirm during intake.
Time and logistics
- Prep: we send a short outline and questions; you share bullet notes and the artifact (or inputs).
- Recording: about 30 minutes to capture an 18-22 minute episode.
- Post: we handle edit, transcription, and shipping a blog post plus artifact link.
- Cadence: biweekly releases with a light edit cap to keep turnaround quick.
Quality guardrails
- Constraint-first, one bet at a time, measured outcomes, and a stealable artifact.
- Practical and de-jargonized so teams can reuse it immediately.
Optional but nice to have
- A quick screenshot or photo of the artifact for show notes.
- Willingness to reshare on LinkedIn when we publish (we will provide draft copy).
We are looking for guests
If you are interested:
- Tell us your interest and which topic you want to tackle (or propose your own).
- Fill the guest prep prompts; we can co-create the artifact if you want.
- We will schedule a 30-minute slot and send the prep outline.
Reach us via the contact page and we will follow up.