Who is Peter Hundermark?
Here is what Karen has to say about Peter.
To me Peter is a bit like the father of Scrum in South Africa. He brought out Boris Gloger to teach the first Scrum courses, and then became the first Certified Scrum Trainer in South Africa. He has certainly had a huge influence on me becoming so involved in the agile community. I don’t think Who is agile in South Africa would be complete without him.
What is something people usually don’t know about you but has influenced you in who you are?
I studied production management in the late 1980’s, when JIT and kanban were just getting known, but before Lean even had the name. This stuff was in the back of my textbook labelled “new techniques”!
What would have become of you, if you were not doing the job you do today?
Where do old project managers go to die? Ganttville, perhaps?
What is your biggest challenge and why is it a good thing for you?
Being self-aware when I am with my clients. I need my Heart, Mirror, Gyroscope and many other tools. When I am able to harness these tools, I become a much better person.
What drives you?
Helping people to recapture joy at work, one person at a time. For me this is inextricably linked to modern leadership.
What is your biggest achievement?
Persuading my wife to marry me and helping her (slightly) in raising our two wonderful, grown-up daughters.
Is there a piece of music that has a special meaning for you?
Jaqueline du Pre playing the Elgar Cello Concerto. It is so full of emotion that evokes the highs and lows of her life.
What is the last book you have read?
Jerry Weinberg’s “More Secrets of Consulting”. He is a hero of mine.
What question do you think we should also ask and what is the answer?
For the last three years I have been engaged in finding ways to grow modern leadership skills at all levels in organisations, because I see this as the key missing ingredient. So what’s on my mind is how to become effective in this. And therefore a question I might ask is: “What defines modern leadership and how do we grow leaders?”
Whom do you think we should ask next in South Africa?
Whom do you think we should ask next, not in South Africa?
How would you define your relation to the South African Agile community?
I’ve had the privilege of being involved really from the beginning: helping to organise the first local Scrum training course, founding the Scrum User Group, etc. Nowadays it’s a thrill to see the third and fourth generation of community leaders emerging.
Cape Town, June 2013
How to connect with Peter
Twitter: @peterhundermark
Linked In: za.linkedin.com/in/peterhundermark