Welcome to chapterlead.com

My name is Tym Blackwell, and over the last 25 years I have held what I would define as ‘delivery management’ roles across product and marketing for finance, telecommunications, broadcasting and not-for-profits.

Whether it is product lifecycle management or end-to-end marketing campaigns, the focus is on clear delivery to improve the customer experience in the fastest and most logical way possible. Providing value to both the business and the customer. 

Over the last few years as a Chapter Lead, I noticed there was very little written online to help develop the role. Lots can be found on the traditional agile roles of Product Owner and Scrum Master that directly lead the squads or teams in product development, but not on the Chapter Lead. The Chapter Lead is a management role that bridges the gap between strategic delivery and team development. This site shares the learning and strategies I have developed along the way and hopes to open up discussion on best practices and ways to improve—hopefully useful for existing Chapter Leads and for those thinking about a career in this area.

Traditionally known as a ‘Head of’ role, the Chapter Lead role plays an invaluable strategic position within agile organisations and has been my most fulfilling role to date. As a team leader I have a dual focus on development and strategic improvement. I support and manage a team that works across different areas of the business. With a focus on development, the team continues to grow alongside the organistaional values so they can be productive in their roles and drive the business outcomes required.

I then work with the wider business to ensure we are strategically resourced to deliver and improve the amazing customer products they produce. The two go hand in hand, creating the right culture for improvement at a company level with development focus at a team level to drive the agreed strategic direction. Finally when the headcount in the team allows I also take on a Product Owner or project delivery role within the business – this better helps me understand the challenges the team has and also provides valuable upskilling within other areas of the business. 

To try and categorise some of the thinking on the role, I have broken the information into the micro and the macro topic areas;

Servant Leadership – Your influence at a chapter level to upskill and drive learning and development

Company Culture – Your influence at a company level to drive culture and workforce development

If you would like to contribute your thoughts, make improvements, challenge my thinking or just want to connect it would be great to hear from you.

Please get in touch via my LinkedIn profile

Tym