Join hosts Rich Visotcky and Jim Sammons as they delve deep into the agile mindset and its significance in team dynamics from a research-backed perspective. Joining them in this episode are Dr. Karen Eilers and Christiaan Verwijs who are leading studies exploring the agile mindset from the individual and team level.  Through their research and the help of Columinity, they describe how to factors like motivation, morale, collaborative exchange, value focus, and management support improve team effectiveness. Together, we discuss the development of reliable measurement scales, the importance of data in understanding team effectiveness in order to take action, and the challenges of selection bias and trust in survey data. We also dip our toes into the pools of dynamic reteaming and its effects on team cohesion and team outcomes.

Whether you’re a manager looking to help your teams hit their stride, a team member trying to understand how to improve yourself to improve those around you, or a research and data junkie curious about people and teams, this episode has you covered!

Want to learn more about your team and the research?

Participate (and get immediate actionable feedback!): https://questionnaire.columinity.com/setup/model/agilemindset

Preliminary findings: https://blog.columinity.com/how-a-team-level-agile-mindset-shapes-team-effectiveness/

Scientific paper on Agile Mindset: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040162522001822

Contact Columinity: https://columinity.com/research

Connect with our guests:

Karen Eilers: linkedin.com/in/dr-karen-eilers/

Christiaan Verwijs: linkedin.com/in/christiaanverwijs/

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In this episode, Jim and Rich delve into the complexities of Agile methodologies with Sam Falco and Dan Neumann, discussing the balance between consistency and flexibility, the challenges of planning in complex environments, and the importance of discipline in Agile practices. Together, they explore various frameworks for navigating complexity, the significance of measuring effectiveness, and the necessity of making small bets in uncertain conditions. The need for organizations to adapt their approaches based on the context and to embrace feedback as a means of continuous improvement is critical for continued success.

00:00 Intro

04:08 Understanding Complexity in Agile 

09:02 The Challenge of Planning in Complex Environments 

13:49 Navigating Regulations and Constraints 

15:57 Frameworks for Managing Complexity 

21:46 Managing Risk and Boundaries in Complexity 

26:07 Efficiency vs. Effectiveness 

30:20 The Complexity of Decision Making 

37:15 Consistency vs Flexibility 

44:05 Discovering the Time to Change 

47:53 Building and Falling Into Habits 

51:58 Finding the Balance of Consistency and Flexibility 

53:40 Iterating Towards a Solution 

54:37 Complexity Needs Good Process 

55:25 Using Cadence for Evolution and Consistency 

57:01 It Takes Discipline to Deliver

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Connect with our guests:

linkedin.com/in/sam-falco/

linkedin.com/in/meetdanneumann/

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Find more at www.masteringagility.org

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In this episode, Ryan Brook brings his homework with him as he joins hosts Jim Sammons and Rich Visotcky for a vibrant Q&A session to answer questions from our viewers. Ryan flips the script, taking over emcee duties to extract key ideas and insights from Rich and Jim as they cover a range of topics from team autonomy and navigating roles to measuring outcomes and outputs to understand the impacts of agility.

Join us for a lively session answering your questions! Have a question you want answered in a future episode? Comment on this episode, or reach out to us.

00:00:00 Opening

00:00:29 Introductions

00:02:54 Question Setup

00:04:16 Navigating New Roles in an Organization

00:13:07 Coaching Leadership on Agility and Fixed Projects

00:20:09 Managing Dependencies in Agile and Waterfall

00:28:38 Metrics for Agile Progress

00:36:00 Creating a Culture of Experimentation

00:47:23 Measuring Outcomes vs Output

00:52:40 The Gantt Chart Debate

00:58:16 Tools for User Story Mapping

01:05:21 Balancing Team Autonomy with Organizational Goals

01:13:01 Change Management in UI/UX Handoffs

01:19:38 Managing Parallel Sprints

01:29:13 Closing

Connect with Mastering Agility

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💬 Join the conversation on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/mastering-agility
📩 Contact us for trades or sponsorships

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www.masteringagility.org

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“Generosity as a strategy — I’ve never seen it not pay back eventually.”

In this lively conversation, Jim and Sander welcome Jose Casal — agile coach, trainer, and long-time conference organizer — to reflect on the people, purpose, and future of agile gatherings. As part of the Scan Agile 2025 organizing team, Jose shares why he continues to invest months of volunteer effort into building events that foster connection and inspiration.

From his global journey (Spain → UK → Finland) to his professional philosophy of “generosity as a strategy,” Jose unpacks the challenges and rewards of running community-driven conferences in a shifting industry landscape. The trio dive into the realities of sponsorship, the impact of AI on agile investment, and why human connection remains the ultimate ROI.

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“Agile is not just for software — it’s for solving problems anywhere there’s complexity:"

At Scan Agile 2025, Jim and Sander dive into a thought-provoking conversation with Michal Epstein about the transformative power of agility beyond traditional tech environments. Discover how agile principles can be applied in diverse fields like biotech and construction, and learn about the importance of stakeholder collaboration and value-driven approaches. Key takeaways include understanding that agile is a mindset transcending industries, the crucial role of stakeholder engagement, the benefits for non-tech teams, the importance of communication and transparency, and insights into value-based pricing.

Connect with Michal: (14) Michal Epstein | LinkedIn

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www.masteringagility.org

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“In both poker and business, humans are the biggest variable—and the biggest opportunity."

In this episode of Mastering Agility, Jim welcomes long-time friend and seasoned agile coach Stacy Oliver for a fascinating conversation that blends the worlds of poker, game theory, and agility. Drawing from decades of experience at the card table and in the corporate world, Stacy shares how concepts like expected value (EV), Game Theory Optimal (GTO) play, and the Independent Chip Model (ICM) can help leaders make better bets on their projects, teams, and portfolios.

Stacy and Jim explore how decision quality, not just outcomes, determines success, and how understanding your constraints, risks, and probabilities can help you maximize return on investment in any game you’re playing.

Connect with Stacy: (13) Stacy Oliver | LinkedIn

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“I dream of a world where we don’t have managers — just autonomous, inspired teams.”

In this insightful episode of Mastering Agility, hosts Sander and Jim sit down with Laura Heikkurinen, Lead Transformation Coach at OP Financial Group, live at the Scan Agile 2025 conference. Together, they dive into the nuances of modern leadership, the tension between management and empowerment, and how organizations can create psychologically safe environments where everyone is empowered to lead — regardless of job title.

Laura shares powerful reflections from her experience leading enterprise transformation, explains why language matters when redefining leadership, and offers candid takes on navigating toxic leadership legacies, neurodivergent inclusion, and the delicate balance between pushing a change forward or letting it go.

Connect with Laura:

(18) Laura Heikkurinen | LinkedIn

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www.masteringagility.org

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“You can build software with Excel. You can finish an Ironman on a cheap bike. But will it be enjoyable? That’s another question.”

In this inspiring and energetic episode, Sander and Jim sit down with Dana—Scrum Master, team lead, and passionate triathlete—just ahead of her session at the Online Scrum Master Summit. Together, they unpack:

• Dana’s journey into agile and what drew her to the Scrum Master Summit.

• How her dual passions—agile coaching and triathlon—intersect in powerful and unexpected ways.

• The surprising overlap between triathlon training and software delivery: focus, iteration, adaptation, and complexity.

• The value and limitations of tools—whether it’s JIRA or a $6,000 triathlon bike—and why mindset still trumps everything.

• The importance of coaching: in sports and in software. Do you really need to know how to code to be an effective coach?

  
  

Connect with Dana: (31) Dana Mykytiuk | LinkedIn

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"Origin stories create die-hard fans. Once your story and your product are inseparable, you win."

In this powerful episode of Mastering Agility, Jim and Sander sit down with storytelling strategist Osita Ifezue to explore how strategic storytelling can reshape the way agile teams operate, connect with customers, and innovate beyond the status quo. Recorded at ScanAgile 2025, Osita shares how organizations like LEGO, Apple, Nike, and IKEA use storytelling to drive customer loyalty, enhance internal alignment, and navigate change.

Connect with Osita: (31) Osita Ifezue | LinkedIn

Check out Think About It! With Osita Ifezue Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2idqtZvGCMswcqIPvQMDCa?si=oQhfzXDkRFCYRDtW16PkUg

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n this reflective and insightful episode, Jim is joined by organizational coach Anna Lavrova to unpack her talk at the Scrum Master Summit and dive into the real mechanics of organizational culture. They discuss why people often feel "off" in their roles—not because of the work, but because of the culture—and how leaders can make sense of multicultural, multi-context teams in today’s workplace.

Connect with Anna: LinkedIn

The Culture Map: Book – Erin Meyer

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