Thank you, Martin Burns

On our journey through life, we may encounter individuals that have a profound impact on the path we take.  In 2015, Martin Burns and his wife, Lucy Burns organized a retreat for leaders in the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe®) community and my attendance at that amazing event cemented my hopes to be a successful enterprise coach.

While my only SAFe experience at the time was within AT&T, Martin asked me to join a small group of agile leaders in Scotland to share learning and experiences with the framework.  I was humbled to be invited to join a group that included thought leaders such as Dean Leffingwell, Mark Richards, Em Campbell-Pretty, Inbar Orden, Ken France, Gerald Cadden, and many others. 

At the time, I was leading a very grass-roots SAFe transformation at AT&T Big Data ; however, I had been unable to obtain the senior executive approval required to fund my attendance at an international conference.  Unfortunately, I was at a point in my life where I was not in a position to fund this on my own and I, regrettably, let Martin know that I would be unable to attend after all.

The email response I received from Martin left me speechless. 

Martin had spoken to Lucy and they offered to waive my conference costs if I could just find a way to get there.  I was unprepared for this act of kindness from people I had not even met in person.  I was able to conduct a fund-raising Leading SAFe course and, inspired by Martin, I covered the cost of my airfare while also covering course fees for a couple of members of the DFW agile community who were unemployed at the time.

Martin was more than a benefactor to me. He quickly became a friend.

Have you ever met someone only to feel like you’ve been friends for years?   That was what it was like with Martin.  I recall being met with a hearty hug and finding myself a bit confused as to why he was so excited I was there at the retreat.

The week went by in rush with days of collaboration and spirited discussions starting early and, often, ending after midnight.  Martin introduced me to members of the incredibly deep-thinking agile community in Europe and many of the perspectives I keep in mind when coaching today were gained that week. At the time, I had no idea the impression Martin would leave on me.  In hindsight, I see that his ability to be both bold and humble has influenced my own coaching style.

The day I left Crieff for Edinburgh, I was humbled to be invited to dinner with Martin Lucy and their three children. As someone who had “grown up” in a competitive corporate environment where a strong separation of personal and professional life was required, I was caught off guard, It was an experience with laughter and great conversation and it was evident that a welcoming spirit was a trait shared by all members of Martin’s family.

I will never forget the impact that Martin had on my life I wish that I had been able to spend more time with him. I know that if the distance did not separate us, my own daughter and wife would have loved spending time with Martin, Lucy, and their kids as well.

Martin and Lucy’s friendship and support, as well as the shared learning from the incredible group of leaders they brought together through their creation of the SAFe Leadership Retreats, have heavily influenced my coaching journey, and by extension my life and that of my family.

Werewolf, NSFW Exploding Kittens and presenting with bare feet… so many great memories.

Thank you, Martin.  May you rest in blessed peace.  

Lucy, may God’s love help you and your children through this time.

With love,

Phil

Note: Friends of the Burns have set up a GoFundMe to help relieve a bit of the material burden for Lucy and her children: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-martin-burns-family