What is something people usually don’t know about you but has influenced you in who you are?

Marco -“I entered the software development profession only in my mid-forties. Before that I’ve been a business analyst, technical marketeer and telecom consultant at a high-street firm. Those experiences gave me a view over the whole picture but, after getting out of there, I haven’t looked back a single second.”

If you would not have been in your current industry / role, what would have become of you?

Marco -“Commercial pilot. Cargo planes somewhere over Canada or in the Andes. I’m not joking. I regret that in my youth I did’t get the opportunity to think hard about my adult life and plan for it. One of my first priorities is to make sure my daughters have that opportunity to the greatest extent.”

What is your biggest challenge and why is it a good thing for you?

Marco -“I am a keen technologist and I believe technology advancement is the first and strongest driver of the historical era we are in. On one hand I believe that agile (I also like the term “lean”) is the right way to do things on the workplace. On the other hand I still have to see it giving an organisation the competitive edge beyond any reasonable doubt. I am looking out to be part of a collective experience that will demonstrate just that, and that will change for good the rules of the game.”

What drives you?

Marco -“I am 99.99% intrinsically motivated, something that a few past managers of mine found rather frustrating. What I pursue is described in the previous answer.”

What is your biggest achievement?

Marco -“I have sought and attained a position in which external circumstances are hardly able to sway my choices against my will.”

What is the last book you have read?

Marco -“”Consider Phlebas” by Iain M. Banks. Memento mori.
Well, actually it’s the second last, but I liked it a lot.”

What question do you think we should also ask and what is the answer?

Marco -“In which terms do you think you’re being “agile”? In my view everything starts from the feedback loop. Put that in place from the very beginning, stay alert, and you’re on the good path. Then you need the capability to act upon the signals, which requires good faith and courage. This is what I bring to the party.”

Who do you think we should ask next?

Marco -“- Davide Varvello: my first, unforgettable agile coach.
Mirko Bonadei: one who has the right tools and the right mindset.”