In this episode of the Comparative Agility Podcast, Dee Rhoda speaks with Colleen Johnson, CEO and Co-Founder of ProKanban.org, and Janee McConnell, Director of Community Operations, to explore the power of Kanban in optimizing workflow and delivering value. They discuss how the Pro Kanban community supports learning and growth, share insights on improving predictability and forecasting without estimates, and explain how Kanban principles scale from teams to portfolios.

In this episode of the Comparative Agility Podcast, Dee Rhoda speaks with Michelle Cummings, Founder of Personify Leadership, to explore the art and science of leading with intention. With her background in psychology and experiential education, Michelle shares how leaders can cultivate trust, build psychological safety, and foster behaviors that inspire their teams. Together, they dive into the Personify Leadership model—covering the heart, mind, hands, feet, and spine of a leader—and discuss practical ways leaders can walk the talk, have courageous conversations, and create environments where teams thrive.

In this episode of the Comparative Agility Podcast, host Dee Rhoda sits down with Dan LeFebvre and Avi Schneier to explore the intersection of AI and Scrum@Scale. Together, they discuss practical ways AI can support teams and organizations—from enhancing meetings and backlogs to helping action teams and MetaScrums make better decisions.

In this episode, we chat with Paddy Dhanda—host of the Superpower School podcast and co-founder of The Visual Jam—about the thinking behind the new Communities of Practice Healthcheck. Created in collaboration with Comparative Agility, this team-based assessment helps leaders and members better understand their communities across purpose, engagement, collaboration, leadership, and impact.

Paddy shares why traditional “vanity metrics” and how this assessment goes deeper to capture real value. With his signature energy and humor, he also reflects on what it takes to nurture truly collaborative communities that matter.

In this episode, we speak with Si Alhir about the thinking behind the latest Comparative Agility assessment, rooted in the principles of Natural Human Leadership. Si introduces key concepts such as power dynamics, power in motion, and power over time, anchored in a reality-based worldview that contrasts with traditional, ego-based models of leadership.

Drawing from his lifelong engagement with The Art of War, Si explores how ancient wisdom can help us navigate modern complexity with agility, resilience, and authenticity.

In this episode, we speak with Jurgen Appelo about what it means to be truly ready for AI in today’s organizations. Jurgen and Dee explore how digital teammates are changing the way we work, the human tendency to anthropomorphize AI, and why traditional knowledge-based roles must evolve. Jurgen shares practical insights on how coaches and consultants can remain relevant by shifting their focus from delivering knowledge to generating insights and fostering creativity alongside AI.

In this episode, we speak with Avi Schneier, an expert in Scrum@Scale. Avi and Dee explore how the Scrum@Scale framework enables organizations to scale agility effectively by improving cross-team collaboration and executive alignment.

He also talks about the upcoming Scrum@Scale Assessment, developed in collaboration with Comparative Agility, which helps organizations identify inefficiencies, uncover growth opportunities, and enhance their scaling strategies.

In this episode, we speak with Joe Krebs, creator of the Agile Kata. Joe shares insights into how the Agile Kata serves as a universal pattern for continuous agile improvement, helping leaders, coaches, and teams foster a culture of scientific thinking and experimentation. He also discusses the Agile Kata Assessment, developed in collaboration with Comparative Agility, and how it enables organizations to evaluate their agility, identify opportunities for growth, and drive meaningful change.

In this episode, we speak with Luiz C. Parzianello, a pioneer of Agile Methods in Brazil and creator of the Framework for Agile Business Ownership™. Luiz shares insights into the Evolutionary Leadership Model and the innovative self-assessment tool he co-created with Comparative Agility, designed to help leaders develop competencies essential for business agility.

We explore the model’s four leadership dimensions—Connected, Conscious, Coherent, and Consistent—and their 25 practices, offering leaders a clear path for personal growth and self-awareness.

In this special episode, we bid farewell to Simon Hilton, who has expertly guided our podcast, and welcome Dee Rhoda as the new host.

With over 15 years in IT and a deep commitment to Agile practices, Dee brings a wealth of experience transforming teams and supporting Scrum frameworks.

As a certified ScrumMaster and Scrum Product Owner, she’s passionate about helping teams and organizations succeed through effective Scrum practices.

Join us for a reflective conversation on past episodes and an inspiring look at what’s next for the Comparative Agility Podcast.