Chris Gagné: a lineage tree, by the hour

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Chris Gagné: a lineage tree Bar height and ribbon thickness are hours spent in the study, every hour counted, in the room and out of it. ≈ marks an estimate, and a total built on estimates. Ink: darkest, empowerment or transmission received from them, or authorised to teach it; mid, taught by; lightest, read. A teacher who also taught another teacher here sits one column left. A teacher's bar is their own hours (dark) plus the hours that passed through them to another teacher here (pale); those pass-through hours are split evenly among a teacher's own teachers, a convention, not a measurement. Right of the trunk, bars are hours of work and practice where the study was carried, a different quantity, drawn at a fifteenth of the study scale: the two scale bars show it. The fields each drew on are listed under it. Formal education sits below, bar length for hours, at a tenth of the scale. Public version. Rendered 9 Nov 2026; hours checked by the subject 7 Nov 2026; degree hours from transcripts, by unit count. THEIR TEACHERS TEACHERS, TEXTS, COURSES FIELDS OF STUDY WORK AND PRACTICE ≈41,185 h in all, drawn at a fifteenth of the study scale 500 h of study 7,500 h of work Mahasi Sayadaw → Daniel Ingram and Shannon Stein Bill Hamilton → Daniel Ingram and Shannon Stein John Yates (Culadasa) → Tucker Peck Sharon Salzberg → Tucker Peck Upasaka Kema Ananda → John Yates (Culadasa) Jotidhamma Bhikkhu → John Yates (Culadasa) Sayagyi U Ba Khin → S. N. Goenka (recorded instruction) Charlotte Joko Beck → Diane Eshin Rizzetto (Ordinary Mind Zen) Kyabje Lati Rinpoche → Segyu Rinpoche (Gelug) John Yates (Culadasa) → Darin McFadyen and Claire A. H. Almaas and Karen Johnson (Diamond Approach) → Steve March (Alētheia) Peter Fenner (Radiant Mind) → Steve March (Alētheia) Judith Blackstone → Steve March (Alētheia) Dan Brown (Mahamudra, Dzogchen) → Steve March (Alētheia) Khentrul Jamphel Lodrö Rinpoche (Jonang, rimé) → Steve March (Alētheia) Gurumayi Chidvilasananda (Siddha Yoga) → Steve March (Alētheia) James Ishmael Ford (Zen) → Steve March (Alētheia) Mark Johnson (qigong) → Steve March (Alētheia) New Ventures West (Integral Coaching) → Steve March (Alētheia) Eugene Gendlin (Focusing) → Steve March (Alētheia) Richard Schwartz (Internal Family Systems) → Steve March (Alētheia) Jay Earley (IFS) → Steve March (Alētheia) Oscar Ichazo (Enneagram) → Steve March (Alētheia) Heinz Kohut (self psychology) → Steve March (Alētheia) Ngawang Lobsang Trinle (Lama Lutrin) → Khentrul Jamphel Lodrö Rinpoche (Jonang, rimé) Craig Larman and Bas Vodde (LeSS) → Alexey Krivitsky and Roland Flemm (Org Topologies) Craig Larman and Bas Vodde (LeSS) → Venkatesh Krishnamurthy (LeSS) Max Boisot → Dave Snowden (Cynefin) Karl Weick (sense-making) → Dave Snowden (Cynefin) Toyota Production System (Ohno, NUMMI handbook, Rother) → Craig Larman and Bas Vodde (LeSS) Walter Shewhart → W. Edwards Deming Jens Rasmussen → Sidney Dekker Erik Hollnagel and David Woods → Sidney Dekker Daniel Ingram and Shannon Stein: 248 h, taught by Tucker Peck: 236 h, taught by John Yates (Culadasa): 406 h, empowerment or transmission received, or authorised to teach S. N. Goenka (recorded instruction): 80 h, taught by Diane Eshin Rizzetto (Ordinary Mind Zen): 16 h, taught by Segyu Rinpoche (Gelug): 16 h, empowerment or transmission received, or authorised to teach Darin McFadyen and Claire: 6 h, taught by Shunryu Suzuki (Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind): 6 h, read Khentrul Jamphel Lodrö Rinpoche (Jonang, rimé): 140 h, empowerment or transmission received, or authorised to teach Contemplative practice: 1,154 h Steve March (Alētheia): 900 h, taught by Richard Schwartz (Internal Family Systems): 12 h, read Co-Active Training Institute (five-course sequence): 104 h, taught by Australian Radix Training Centre (Anthea Fraser, Jacquie Cliff, Narelle McKenzie): 82 h, taught by Crucial Conversations (VitalSmarts): 14 h, taught by A. H. Almaas (Diamond Approach): 12 h, read Beatrice Bruteau (The Psychic Grid): 6 h, read Developmental coaching and somatics: 1,130 h Alexey Krivitsky and Roland Flemm (Org Topologies): 44 h, empowerment or transmission received, or authorised to teach ICAgile (ICP-ACC, ICP-ATF): 42 h, taught by Scaled Agile (SAFe SPC): 28 h, empowerment or transmission received, or authorised to teach Scrum Alliance (CSM, CSPO, CSP): 28 h, taught by Venkatesh Krishnamurthy (LeSS): 21 h, taught by Sharon Bowman (Training from the Back of the Room): 20 h, taught by Jay Galbraith (Star Model): 12 h, read Stanley McChrystal (Team of Teams): 6 h, read Craig Larman and Bas Vodde (LeSS): 60 h, empowerment or transmission received, or authorised to teach Organisation design and scaled agile: 261 h Donald Reinertsen (Principles of Product Development Flow): 72 h, read Dave Snowden (Cynefin): 72 h, read Toyota Production System (Ohno, NUMMI handbook, Rother): 48 h, read Eliyahu Goldratt (Theory of Constraints): 18 h, read Forsgren, Humble, Kim (Accelerate, Continuous Delivery, DevOps Handbook): 18 h, read W. Edwards Deming: 12 h, read Peter Senge (The Fifth Discipline): 12 h, read Nassim Taleb (Antifragile, The Black Swan): 12 h, read Flow, constraints and systems: 264 h Sidney Dekker: 12 h, read Erik Hollnagel and David Woods: 12 h, read Alicia Juarrero (Dynamics in Action): 9 h, read Scott Snook (Friendly Fire): 6 h, read James Reason (Human Error): 6 h, read Diane Vaughan (normalisation of deviance): 6 h, read Todd Conklin (Pre-Accident Investigations): 6 h, read Richard Cook (How Complex Systems Fail): 2 h, read Safety science and local rationality: 59 h Weinberg, Block and Heifetz (consulting and adaptive leadership): 18 h, read Robert Kegan (adult development): 12 h, read L. David Marquet (Turn the Ship Around, Leadership Is Language): 12 h, read Chris Argyris (organisational defences): 12 h, read Douglas McGregor and Mary Parker Follett: 12 h, read Amy Edmondson (psychological safety): 6 h, read Donald Schön (The Reflective Practitioner): 6 h, read Daniel Kahneman: 6 h, read John Boyd (via Coram): 6 h, read Leadership and adult development: 90 h Pragmatic Institute (Pragmatic Framework, Level III): 21 h, taught by Clayton Christensen (Jobs to Be Done, Innovator's Dilemma): 12 h, read Eric Ries and Jeff Patton (Lean Startup, Story Mapping): 12 h, read Peter Drucker: 6 h, read Product and strategy: 51 h Product leadership, Leads360 to PagerDuty: 19,300 h worked; drew on Product and strategy, Flow, constraints and systems, Formal education Enterprise agile coaching, if(we) to Holo.Host: 8,900 h worked; drew on Organisation design and scaled agile, Flow, constraints and systems, Leadership and adult development Operating-model consulting and advising, Approach Perfect: 8,300 h worked; drew on Organisation design and scaled agile, Flow, constraints and systems, Product and strategy, Leadership and adult development, Developmental coaching and somatics, Safety science and local rationality, Formal education Writing, Continuous Product Team Development, Minimum Viable Bureaucracy, chrisgagne.com: 700 h worked; drew on Safety science and local rationality, Flow, constraints and systems, Leadership and adult development, Organisation design and scaled agile, Developmental coaching and somatics Own practice, on the cushion and in daily life: 2,400 h practised; drew on Contemplative practice Teaching, a SAFe SA class: 30 h worked; drew on Organisation design and scaled agile Dogpatch Dharma, a free weekly pragmatic spirituality and meditation study night at home: 430 h hosted; drew on Contemplative practice Developmental coaching practice: 175 h worked; drew on Developmental coaching and somatics, Contemplative practice, Leadership and adult development Building, grounded-forge, AAR Maker, AARBuddy: 950 h worked; drew on Safety science and local rationality, Product and strategy John Yates (Culadasa): hours passed through to another teacher here John Yates (Culadasa) ≈406 h, +124 through Upasaka vows taken 27 Dec 2015 Dharma transmission received Darin McFadyen and Claire ≈6 h Tucker Peck ≈236 h Daniel Ingram and Shannon Stein ≈248 h S. N. Goenka (recorded instruction) ≈80 h Diane Eshin Rizzetto (Ordinary Mind Zen) ≈16 h Segyu Rinpoche (Gelug) ≈16 h Bodhisattva vows taken; Medicine Buddha empowerment received Khentrul Jamphel Lodrö Rinpoche (Jonang, rimé): hours passed through to another teacher here Khentrul Jamphel Lodrö Rinpoche (Jonang, rimé) ≈140 h, +64 through Bodhisattva and tantric vows taken; Kalachakra empowerment received Shunryu Suzuki (Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind) ≈6 h Steve March (Alētheia) ≈900 h Co-Active Training Institute (five-course sequence) 104 h Australian Radix Training Centre (Anthea Fraser, Jacquie Cliff, Narelle McKenzie) ≈82 h Richard Schwartz (Internal Family Systems): hours passed through to another teacher here Richard Schwartz (Internal Family Systems) ≈12 h, +64 through A. H. Almaas (Diamond Approach) ≈12 h Beatrice Bruteau (The Psychic Grid) ≈6 h Crucial Conversations (VitalSmarts) 14 h Craig Larman and Bas Vodde (LeSS): hours passed through to another teacher here Craig Larman and Bas Vodde (LeSS) 60 h, +65 through Venkatesh Krishnamurthy (LeSS) 21 h Alexey Krivitsky and Roland Flemm (Org Topologies) ≈44 h Scaled Agile (SAFe SPC) ≈28 h Scrum Alliance (CSM, CSPO, CSP) ≈28 h ICAgile (ICP-ACC, ICP-ATF) 42 h Sharon Bowman (Training from the Back of the Room) ≈20 h Jay Galbraith (Star Model) ≈12 h Stanley McChrystal (Team of Teams) ≈6 h Eliyahu Goldratt (Theory of Constraints) ≈18 h Donald Reinertsen (Principles of Product Development Flow) ≈72 h W. Edwards Deming ≈12 h Dave Snowden (Cynefin) ≈72 h Peter Senge (The Fifth Discipline) ≈12 h Toyota Production System (Ohno, NUMMI handbook, Rother): hours passed through to another teacher here Toyota Production System (Ohno, NUMMI handbook, Rother) ≈48 h, +60 through Forsgren, Humble, Kim (Accelerate, Continuous Delivery, DevOps Handbook) ≈18 h Nassim Taleb (Antifragile, The Black Swan) ≈12 h Sidney Dekker ≈12 h Scott Snook (Friendly Fire) ≈6 h Erik Hollnagel and David Woods: hours passed through to another teacher here Erik Hollnagel and David Woods ≈12 h, +6 through Richard Cook (How Complex Systems Fail) ≈2 h James Reason (Human Error) ≈6 h Diane Vaughan (normalisation of deviance) ≈6 h Alicia Juarrero (Dynamics in Action) ≈9 h Todd Conklin (Pre-Accident Investigations) ≈6 h Robert Kegan (adult development) ≈12 h L. David Marquet (Turn the Ship Around, Leadership Is Language) ≈12 h Chris Argyris (organisational defences) ≈12 h Douglas McGregor and Mary Parker Follett ≈12 h Amy Edmondson (psychological safety) ≈6 h Donald Schön (The Reflective Practitioner) ≈6 h Weinberg, Block and Heifetz (consulting and adaptive leadership) ≈18 h Daniel Kahneman ≈6 h John Boyd (via Coram) ≈6 h Pragmatic Institute (Pragmatic Framework, Level III) 21 h Clayton Christensen (Jobs to Be Done, Innovator's Dilemma) ≈12 h Peter Drucker ≈6 h Eric Ries and Jeff Patton (Lean Startup, Story Mapping) ≈12 h Upasaka Kema Ananda: hours passed through to another teacher here Upasaka Kema Ananda Jotidhamma Bhikkhu: hours passed through to another teacher here Jotidhamma Bhikkhu Sharon Salzberg: hours passed through to another teacher here Sharon Salzberg Mahasi Sayadaw: hours passed through to another teacher here Mahasi Sayadaw Bill Hamilton: hours passed through to another teacher here Bill Hamilton Sayagyi U Ba Khin: hours passed through to another teacher here Sayagyi U Ba Khin Charlotte Joko Beck: hours passed through to another teacher here Charlotte Joko Beck Kyabje Lati Rinpoche: hours passed through to another teacher here Kyabje Lati Rinpoche Ngawang Lobsang Trinle (Lama Lutrin): hours passed through to another teacher here Ngawang Lobsang Trinle (Lama Lutrin) A. H. Almaas and Karen Johnson (Diamond Approach): hours passed through to another teacher here A. H. Almaas and Karen Johnson (Diamond Approach) Peter Fenner (Radiant Mind): hours passed through to another teacher here Peter Fenner (Radiant Mind) Judith Blackstone: hours passed through to another teacher here Judith Blackstone Dan Brown (Mahamudra, Dzogchen): hours passed through to another teacher here Dan Brown (Mahamudra, Dzogchen) Gurumayi Chidvilasananda (Siddha Yoga): hours passed through to another teacher here Gurumayi Chidvilasananda (Siddha Yoga) James Ishmael Ford (Zen): hours passed through to another teacher here James Ishmael Ford (Zen) Mark Johnson (qigong): hours passed through to another teacher here Mark Johnson (qigong) New Ventures West (Integral Coaching): hours passed through to another teacher here New Ventures West (Integral Coaching) Eugene Gendlin (Focusing): hours passed through to another teacher here Eugene Gendlin (Focusing) Jay Earley (IFS): hours passed through to another teacher here Jay Earley (IFS) Oscar Ichazo (Enneagram): hours passed through to another teacher here Oscar Ichazo (Enneagram) Heinz Kohut (self psychology): hours passed through to another teacher here Heinz Kohut (self psychology) Walter Shewhart: hours passed through to another teacher here Walter Shewhart Max Boisot: hours passed through to another teacher here Max Boisot Karl Weick (sense-making): hours passed through to another teacher here Karl Weick (sense-making) Jens Rasmussen: hours passed through to another teacher here Jens Rasmussen Contemplative practice ≈1,154 h Developmental coaching and somatics ≈1,130 h Organisation design and scaled agile ≈261 h Flow, constraints and systems ≈264 h Safety science and local rationality ≈59 h Leadership and adult development ≈90 h Product and strategy ≈51 h Chris Gagné ≈3,009 h of study Product leadership, Leads360 to PagerDuty, 2005–2016 ≈19,300 h worked drew on product and strategy, flow, constraints and systems, formal education Leads360, Oversee, Evolve, eBay and StubHub, PagerDuty; the OpsDex patent Enterprise agile coaching, if(we) to Holo.Host, 2014–2020 ≈8,900 h worked drew on organisation design and scaled agile, flow, constraints and systems, leadership and adult development if(we), Cisco, eBay, Ancestry, Airbnb, Holo.Host Operating-model consulting and advising, Approach Perfect, 2020–present ≈8,300 h worked drew on organisation design and scaled agile, flow, constraints and systems, product and strategy, leadership and adult development, developmental coaching and somatics, safety science and local rationality, formal education Big Picture Medical, Episource, NRC Health, a global financial-services firm Writing, Continuous Product Team Development, Minimum Viable Bureaucracy, chrisgagne.com, 2008–present, mostly 2026 ≈700 h worked drew on safety science and local rationality, flow, constraints and systems, leadership and adult development, organisation design and scaled agile, developmental coaching and somatics Own practice, on the cushion and in daily life, 2013–present ≈2,400 h practised drew on contemplative practice Teaching, a SAFe SA class, 2014 ≈30 h worked drew on organisation design and scaled agile Dogpatch Dharma, a free weekly pragmatic spirituality and meditation study night at home, 2015–2019 430 h hosted drew on contemplative practice Developmental coaching practice, 2017–present ≈175 h worked drew on developmental coaching and somatics, contemplative practice, leadership and adult development 134 h logged since 2022; about 40 h of course practice partners, unlogged Building, grounded-forge, AAR Maker, AARBuddy, 2025–present ≈950 h worked drew on safety science and local rationality, product and strategy Formal education 8,490 h, every hour counted; bar length is hours at a tenth of the scale, kept out of the flow; → where each was carried Occidental College (BA, last two years) 2001–2003, 2,880 h → Product leadership, Writing, UCLA Anderson School of Management Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude; departmental honours for the thesis UCLA Anderson School of Management (MBA) 2008–2011, 2,640 h → Product leadership, Operating-model consulting and advising, Writing Anderson Honor Society, top 15%; exchanges at HEC Paris and Seoul National Los Angeles Valley College 1998–1999, 1,575 h → Occidental College Entered at 17 with no high-school diploma of any kind; never did a senior year (Chris, 9 Nov 2026) Santa Monica College 2000–2001, 1,395 h → Occidental College
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