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Product Fields
Product Fields episodes
- #143 Generosity, Community, and the Changing Agile Landscape with Jose Casal
“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.
Check out our sponsor:
www.xebia.comwww.wiserbees.com
www.masteringagility.org
Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
34 min - #141 Embracing Agility Beyond Tech: Insights with Michal Epstein
“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
Check out our sponsor:
www.xebia.comwww.wiserbees.com
www.masteringagility.org
Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
53 min - #140 Poker, Projects, and Probability: Lessons from the Poker Table with Stacy Oliver
“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
Check out our sponsor:
www.xebia.comwww.wiserbees.com
www.masteringagility.org
Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
1 hr - #139 The Leader in All of Us: Changing Narratives, Changing Organizations with Laura Heikkurinen
“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
Check out our sponsor:
www.xebia.comwww.wiserbees.com
www.masteringagility.org
Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
29 min - #138 More Watts, Less Waste: Efficiency Lessons from Triathlon and Scrum with Dana Mykytiuk
“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
Check out our sponsor:
www.xebia.comwww.wiserbees.com
www.masteringagility.org
Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
33 min - #137 Strategic Storytelling: Shaping Agile Culture Through Narrative with Osita Ifezue
"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
Check out our sponsor:
www.xebia.comwww.wiserbees.com
www.masteringagility.org
Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
40 min - #136 Hope Is Not a Strategy: Leading Culture Change That Works with Anna Lavrova
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
Check out our sponsor:
www.xebia.comwww.wiserbees.com
www.masteringagility.org
Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
45 min - #135 Mastering the Mind: Mental Fitness, Meaning, and the Inner Game with René de Leijer
“Mental fitness is like going to the gym—but for your mind.”
In this insightful episode, Jim welcomes René de Leijer—Agile Coach, Scrum Master, and co-creator of The Inner Game—to explore what it truly means to help people, teams, and organizations grow. René shares his philosophy on being “strategically lazy,” the importance of psychological safety, and how embracing your inner saboteurs can lead to personal and team transformation.
More on The Inner Game
The website: https://www.playtheinnergame.com/
LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/98064137/admin/dashboard/
Connect with René on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/renedeleijer/
Join the Online Scrum Master Summit: Claim your free ticket for the Online Scrum Master Summit
Check out our sponsor:
www.xebia.comwww.scrummatch.com
www.wiserbees.com
www.masteringagility.org
Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
47 min - #134 From Gut to Great: Smarter Group Decisions in Agile with Tobi Mende
In this thought-provoking episode, Jim sits down with Tobias -Tobi- Mende, engineering leadership consultant and speaker at the upcoming Online Scrum Master Summit from June 17-19 to explore the real challenges of decision-making in agile teams. Drawing from 15+ years of experience, Tobi shares how poor visibility, lack of strategy, and fear of failure hold teams back—and how we can fix it.
If you're a Scrum Master, team lead, or product manager frustrated by indecision, vague priorities, or never-ending meetings—this episode is for you. Tobi delivers tactical ways to empower teams, improve clarity, and reintroduce confidence into team decisions—without falling into top-down traps or analysis paralysis.
📅 Join Tobi at the Online Scrum Master Summit
Learn his structured approach to team decision-making—with real-world tools your team can use tomorrow.
Claim your free ticket for the Online Scrum Master Summit
Connect with Tobi: LinkedIn
Check out our sponsor:
www.xebia.comwww.scrummatch.com
www.wiserbees.com
www.masteringagility.org
Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
41 min - #133 Kumbaya Won't Save You - Facing Resistance, Building Growth, and Leading Without the Fluff with Martijn Versteeg
"The people stuff is hard. It always is"
Get ready for a powerful conversation on Mastering Agility where hosts Jim and Sander sit down with Martijn Versteeg — tech entrepreneur, leadership facilitator, and former rowing coach.
We dive deep into the real challenges of leadership, change resistance, and personal growth.
From building peer groups for tech leaders across Europe to handling brilliant jerks in teams, Martijn shares practical tools, models, and stories you can immediately apply.🌟 Why is "the people stuff" always the hardest part?
🌟 How do you truly build psychological safety (without making it kumbaya)?
🌟 And what can a vanilla orchid teach us about growth?Connect with Martijn: (27) Martijn Versteeg | LinkedIn
Check out our sponsor:
www.xebia.comwww.scrummatch.com
www.wiserbees.com
www.masteringagility.org
Yerkes-Dodson: Lore, not Law — The Learning Scientists
Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
1 hr 14 min
About Product Fields
From the publisher's feed
Why is it that products are so hard to develop and deliver? How can we truly deliver value with so many different variables that can affect the outcome?
We are Sander Dur, Ryan Brook,…
Jim Sammons, and Rich Visotcky, professional consultants and trainers who support organizations in their pursuit of creating valuable products. Passionate about helping the community and practitioners apply the theory that many authors and thought leaders bring to the industry, we started Product Fields make these concepts more accessible. This podcast will change your career and organization. You’ll be entertained while learning about the industry’s leaders and other practitioners, and you’ll feel familiar with the situations discussed as we invite guests over and discuss tools, concepts, models, metrics, leadership, frameworks, and many more elements that help you deliver amazing products. We understand the many struggles, challenges, antipatterns, and dysfunctions many of us face in our daily working lives. We are here to provide actionable advice and strategies for you to create continuous improvement. You will find things that actually work for many organizations, as we and our guests have tried and tested them. You will find a goldmine of actionable information from many fields, including the space industry, Formula 1, psychology, and Silicon Valley’s top entrepreneurs. We break down these complex topics into easily digestible insights that you can start applying in your careers right away. The best part is that you can even join our live recordings to ask your most burning questions and get them answered based on your needs! We dive deep into the world of business agility, product discovery, delivery, validation, product management, and product frameworks like Scrum, Kanban, LeSS, and many more. We’ll explore the benefits of decentralized decision-making, autonomous empowered teams, leadership, and much more. We empower you with the information you need to become the leaders your organization deserve.