The Agile CEO

In this episode of The Agile CEO, JJ Sutherland sits down with Charles Duhigg, Pulitzer Prize winner, bestselling author, and journalist for The New Yorker, to explore the science and systems behind communication that actually works.

Duhigg’s latest book, Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection, breaks down how leaders can build real alignment by understanding what kind of conversation they’re in (practical, emotional, or social) and how to match it.

Together, JJ and Charles dive into:

• Why asking deep questions is a superpower in business and life

• The “matching principle” that separates great leaders from misunderstood ones

• How even high-stakes conversations, like vaccine hesitancy or political polarization, can be bridged through connection

• The hidden role of habits and systems in meaningful communication

• What it means to listen visibly—and why that builds trust faster than authority ever will

Charles also reflects on themes from his earlier books, The Power of Habit and Smarter Faster Better, the latter of which features Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time by Dr. Jeff Sutherland and JJ Sutherland. It’s a rare behind-the-curtain look at how habits, cognitive systems, and conversational design all tie into what it means to lead.

If you’re an executive who wants to cut through noise, build teams that actually hear each other, and create cultures of connection in a world of distraction, this episode will change how you lead tomorrow.

🧠 | Explore all of Charles Duhigg’s books: charlesduhigg.com

📘 | Supercommunicators: Buy on Amazon

📙 | The Power of Habit: Buy on Amazon

📗 | Smarter Faster Better (feat. Scrum): Buy on Amazon

🖥️ | Learn more: ⁠scruminc.com

📆 | Schedule a Free Consultation: scruminc.com/consulting

🎧 | Listen + Subscribe: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more

In this episode of Season 2 of The Agile CEO, JJ Sutherland sits down with Jenny Wood, Group Chief Information Officer at Skipton Group, to explore what true agility looks like inside a 170-year-old financial institution — and why the most effective leaders see change not as a transformation, but as an evolution.

With a career spanning Telstra, NatWest, and now Skipton Group, Jenny has led large-scale change across financial services and telecoms — always grounded in a clear purpose: helping teams deliver better value faster. She’s guided organizations through cloud-native modernization, DevSecOps adoption, and enterprise-wide Agile evolution, all while keeping people and purpose at the center.

Jenny and JJ unpack what it takes to build learning organizations that adapt continuously, not episodically. Together, they explore:

• Why “transformation” should be replaced with evolution as the mindset for modern leaders

• How curiosity fuels better leadership, faster feedback, and smarter decision-making

• Why measuring value, not activity, is the hallmark of agility

• How Skipton is modernizing through cloud, data, and DevSecOps without losing its member-owned purpose

• The overlooked power of designing colleague journeys, not just customer ones

Throughout the conversation, Jenny shares stories from her time leading teams across continents, revealing how clarity of purpose, disciplined curiosity, and small, continuous learning loops can reshape even the most established organizations.

If you’re an executive leading large-scale change, wrestling with legacy systems, or seeking to build a culture that learns faster than it changes, this episode offers a practical, human roadmap for evolving how your business works — and why it works.

Schedule a free consultation with Scrum Inc. and mention The Agile CEO. Don’t forget to subscribe, watch, and listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more.

🖥️ | Learn more: ⁠⁠https://www.scruminc.com/⁠⁠

📆 | Schedule Free Consultation: ⁠⁠https://www.scruminc.com/consulting/⁠⁠

In this episode of Season 2 of The Agile CEO, JJ Sutherland sits down with George Champlin-Scharff, Senior Business Agility & Operating Model Consultant at Scrum Inc., to explore how AI, Agile, and Lean intersect to redefine how organizations think, operate, and compete.

With over 25 years of experience revolutionizing team productivity through technology and process innovation, George has seen firsthand how agility, automation, and intelligence can unlock scale. From his early days at IBM’s Watson AI organization—where he helped grow a small research team into a global workforce—to his leadership roles in product and customer success at Zenhub, George brings a deeply cross-functional perspective on what it takes to lead through transformation.

He and JJ unpack why many companies still struggle to turn AI into results, how Lean thinking removes friction, and why Agile remains the operating system that makes innovation sustainable. Together, they reveal how combining these three disciplines—AI, Agile, and Lean—creates organizations that learn faster, deliver smarter, and adapt at the speed of change.

George also shares his daily AI tech stack, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how he integrates automation into his workflow to amplify impact and save time: • Wispr Flow – Voice-first dictation and automation • Granola – Meeting notepad for transcription, summaries, and action items • ChatGPT – Everyday general-purpose AI for search and brainstorming • Pro Claude – Deeper reasoning and human-like writing • Pro Gemini – Google’s large-context model for integrated workflows • NotebookLM – Google’s research assistant for synthesis and insight • ClaudeCode – Rapid AI prototyping and coding • Notion AI – Drafting, summarizing, and organizing directly in documents • MCP Servers – Connects Claude to Google Apps, Drive, and Jira for automated task breakdowns

If you’re a leader navigating digital transformation, organizational inertia, or the pressure to “do something with AI,” this episode offers a practical roadmap for aligning technology, process, and people to unlock lasting advantage.

Schedule a free consultation with Scrum Inc. and mention The Agile CEO. Don’t forget to subscribe, watch, and listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more.🖥️ | Learn more: ⁠⁠https://www.scruminc.com/⁠⁠📆 | Schedule Free Consultation: ⁠⁠https://www.scruminc.com/consulting/⁠⁠

In this episode of The Agile CEO, host JJ Sutherland, CEO of Scrum Inc., sits down with Cameron Kunzelman, Professor of Game Studies at Mercer University, to explore what game theory, simulation, and behavioral design can teach us about leading complex organizations. Through the lens of video games and systems thinking, Cameron and JJ unpack how rules, incentives, and feedback loops shape behavior—not just in games, but in every workplace and team.

From complex adaptive systems to organizational psychology, Cameron draws on examples from game design and cultural theory to reveal how every system—corporate or creative—reflects the values and assumptions of the people who build it. Together, they discuss how leaders can intentionally design better “rule sets” that drive alignment, creativity, and accountability, while avoiding the traps of over-gamification and rigid bureaucracy.

For executives, agilists, and innovators alike, this conversation offers a new way to think about operating models and leadership: as systems in motion. Whether you’re designing incentives for your teams or rethinking your organization’s structure, this episode challenges you to embrace uncertainty, experiment with rules, and build systems that can adapt and thrive in the face of change.

Resources and Mentions:Cameron Kunzelman Website: https://ckunzelman.com/Cameron Kunzelman on Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/ckunzelman.bsky.socialThe World is Born From Zero: Understanding Speculation in Video Games: https://www.amazon.com/World-Born-Zero-Understanding-Speculation/dp/3110718324Ranged Touch: https://rangedtouch.com/Game Studies Study Buddies Podcast: https://rangedtouch.com/game-studies-study-buddies/Bruno Latour, French Theorist and Philosopher: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruno_LatourAramis, or the Love of Technology: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aramis,_or_the_Love_of_TechnologyWolfram System Modeler: https://www.wolfram.com/system-modeler/Philosophical Chemistry: Genealogy of a Scientific Field: https://www.amazon.com/Philosophical-Chemistry-Genealogy-Scientific-Field/dp/1474286402

🖥️ | Learn more: https://www.scruminc.com/📆 | Schedule a Free Consultation: https://www.scruminc.com/consulting/🎧 | Subscribe and listen to The Agile CEO on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more.

In this episode of Season 2 of The Agile CEO, JJ Sutherland sits down with General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, First Sea Lord of the Royal Navy, to explore how agility is transforming one of the world’s oldest and most tradition-bound institutions.

As the senior leader of tens of thousands of sailors and marines, Jenkins has seen firsthand how rigid bureaucracies stall decision-making and threaten mission readiness. In this candid conversation, he shares why he chose to go “all-in” on Scrum, how breaking down rank and hierarchy liberated his people, and why time—not resources—is the greatest risk any leader faces.

From reorganizing centuries of tradition to turning agility into a warfighting capability, Jenkins reveals what it takes to lead through complexity, inspire high performance, and create teams that move at the pace of relevance.

If you are a leader navigating bureaucracy, entrenched systems, or the pressures of modern competition, this episode shows how agility can cut through complexity and unlock speed, resilience, and purpose.

Schedule a free consultation with Scrum Inc. and mention The Agile CEO. Don’t forget to subscribe, watch, and listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more.

🖥️ | Learn more:⁠⁠ https://www.scruminc.com/⁠⁠📆 | Schedule Free Consultation: ⁠⁠https://www.scruminc.com/consulting/

In this second episode of Season 2 of The Agile CEO, JJ Sutherland sits down with Matthew Jacobs, Chief Product Owner of Consulting at Scrum Inc., to explore why so many operating models are failing and what leaders can do about it.

Operating models are the hidden blueprint of how organizations run. In today’s complex and fast changing world, traditional structures are breaking down, stalling innovation, and slowing decision making. Jacobs shares why simplicity, speed, and iteration are now the ultimate competitive advantages and how executives can start redesigning their operating models without disrupting the entire enterprise.

From cutting through buzzwords to tackling the hard truths of transformation, this conversation reveals how Agile principles can help leaders reimagine their organizations to be faster, more adaptable, and more resilient.

If you are a leader frustrated with bureaucracy, complexity, or a three year roadmap that never ends, this episode shows how an Agile operating model can unlock speed and results in any industry.

Schedule a free consultation with Scrum Inc. and mention The Agile CEO. Don’t forget to subscribe, watch, and listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more.

🖥️ | Learn more:⁠https://www.scruminc.com/⁠

📆 | Schedule Free Consultation: ⁠https://www.scruminc.com/consulting/

In this premiere episode of Season 2 of The Agile CEO, JJ Sutherland sits down with Daniel P. Driscoll, Secretary of the U.S. Army, to discuss the launch of one of the most ambitious transformation efforts in U.S. military history.

Driscoll, the youngest Secretary of the Army since George Washington’s first appointee, is a veteran of the Iraq War, a lawyer, and a former business leader. Now, he’s leading the charge to modernize the Army and redefine how a 1.2 million-person organization makes decisions, learns, and adapts.In this conversation, Driscoll explains why urgency is non-negotiable, how Agile principles are helping dismantle outdated systems, and what it takes to shift from rigid hierarchies to fast, feedback-driven teams — especially inside the U.S. Army, the oldest and largest branch of the military, whose traditions and scale make transformation both essential and especially challenging.

If you’re a leader facing entrenched systems, this episode provides a rare inside look at what it takes to bring speed, adaptability, and feedback-driven decision-making to one of the world’s largest institutions — and the lessons extend far beyond the military.

Schedule a free consultation with Scrum Inc. and mention The Agile CEO.

Don’t forget to subscribe, watch, and listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more.

🖥️ | Learn more:https://www.scruminc.com/

📆 | Schedule Free Consultation: https://www.scruminc.com/consulting/

In the season finale of The Agile CEO, JJ Sutherland reflects on the biggest lessons from Season One and revisits the question that started it all: Is Agile dead? Drawing on stories from leaders across industries—and his own "aha" moment from his time as NPR’s Baghdad Bureau Chief—JJ explores how Agile’s principles continue to thrive and evolve.

He shares how Agile transformed a team of journalists into a high-performing unit during the Arab Spring, showcasing its power to create a culture of continuous improvement, rapid learning, and responsiveness to change. JJ also recaps key insights from the season, including why starting small, leading with conviction, and focusing on outcomes—not processes—are essential to driving real results.

If you’re a leader navigating complex challenges, this season finale is packed with actionable takeaways to help you harness Agile’s potential. And as we look ahead to Season Two, the possibilities for applying Agile principles are more exciting than ever.

In this episode of The Agile CEO, JJ Sutherland sits down with Dr. David Levine from Ariadne Labs to explore how Agile methodologies, especially Scrum, are transforming healthcare. Featured in the 10th anniversary edition of Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time, Dr. Levine shares how his team used Agile principles to scale the Home Hospital model—bringing hospital-level care into patients' homes.

Dr. Levine explains how Agile helped his team speed up the process by 20%, while fostering collaboration across different healthcare organizations. He also talks about the challenges of implementing Agile in a complex field like healthcare, and how they created knowledge products to enable hospitals to replicate their success on a larger scale.

If you’re a leader looking to scale innovation, especially in high-stakes industries like healthcare, this episode will give you practical insights into how Agile can drive real results.

In this episode, JJ sits down with Darrell Rigby, partner at Bain & Company and author of Doing Agile Right, to explore why Agile is about driving real results, not just adhering to methods. Darrell reveals some of the deadly misperceptions surrounding Agile—where leaders often go wrong by turning it into a bureaucratic process or focusing too much on the framework rather than the outcomes.

They dive deep into the common pitfalls organizations face when adopting Agile and how to avoid these traps by keeping the focus on innovation, adaptability, and delivering measurable business results. Darrell explains how Agile, when done right, empowers companies to move faster, break down silos, and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

This episode is a must-listen for leaders seeking to get Agile right and avoid the missteps that can derail even the best intentions. If you're ready to lead with purpose and unlock the true potential of Agile, Scrum Inc. can help guide the way.