The Agile For Agilists Podcast

On this episode of The Agile for Agilists Podcast, Drew Podwal and Brad Nelson are joined once again by Todd Hallowell for a candid conversation about the current state of Agile and what it really means to practice agility in today’s organizations.

Together, we unpack the tension between traditional project management approaches and true Agile thinking—exploring the fallacy of control, the evolving role of business analysts, and the...

In this episode of The Agile for Agilists Podcast, hosts Drew Podwal and Brad Nelson welcome seasoned Agile coach and trainer Mike Bowler to talk about psychological safety—through the fascinating lens of brain science, leadership, hypnosis, and LEGO.

Mike explains why our brains are wired to react to uncertainty like it’s a bear attack—and what leaders can do to create environments that feel safe rather than threatening. We also ex...

On this episode of The Agile for Agilists Podcast, hosts Drew Podwal and Brad Nelson sit down with Operational Excellence Leader and Kata Coach Kelly Mallery—along with her loyal (and squeaky-toy-loving) dog, Osiris—to explore the power of scientific thinking in the business world.

Kelly unpacks how practices rooted in Toyota Kata and Lean thinking help teams move beyond checking boxes and instead focus on real learning, experimenta...

In this episode of The Agile For Agilists Podcast, hosts Brad Nelson and Drew Podwal sit down with Andrew Clay Shafer, a luminary in software development, entrepreneurship, and the DevOps movement. Together, they explore how Agile principles have existed long before the Agile Manifesto, diving into the history of Sociotechnical Systems and how these timeless practices shape successful organizations—sometimes in surprising ways.

And...

In this episode of The Agile For Agilists Podcast, we're thrilled to have special guest Joan Gammon join us for a deep dive into the metrics that truly matter. Together, we'll explore how to effectively assess performance, foster impactful leadership, and cut through the noise to focus on what really drives success. Brad in this episode is extra bleak, while Drew tries to keep things lively as our resident fun culture coach...

In this episode of "The Agile For Agilists Podcast," Brad Nelson and Drew Podwal are joined by Brian Link to discuss his innovative "Agile Coach in a Box." This interactive book and maturity model companion is designed to align with the agile mindset and is infused with concepts from Lean, XP, Design Thinking, DevOps, and Systems Thinking, enabling teams to inspect how their behaviors are serving them.

Throughou...

Join hosts Brad Nelson and Drew Podwal as they welcome the esteemed Esther Derby, renowned for her work on retrospectives and her deep insights into leadership. In this episode, they delve into the evolution of management practices, reflecting on the dark past of traditional approaches and how they have shaped modern leadership paradigms.

Esther shares her profound wisdom on fostering effective leadership, the importance of creatin...

Join hosts Brad Nelson and Drew Podwal on The Agile For Agilists Podcast for a distinguished episode featuring special guest Jon Kern, one of the authors of the Agile Manifesto and a self-proclaimed process and value nut. In this insightful conversation, Jon delves into the fundamental value of prioritizing people over process, emphasizing that people are the most important and challenging part to software development.

Drawing from...

Join hosts Drew and Brad in a captivating episode of the Agile For Agilists Podcast as they welcome author Larry Apke. In this insightful conversation, Larry delves into the intriguing concept of a Chief Agile Officer and introduces Apke's First Law, offering valuable insights from his extensive experience. He shares compelling details about his innovative VUCA MBA and sheds light on the profound significance of cultivating an ...

Embark on a journey of visionary exploration with this lively episode of The Agile For Agilists Podcast. Join hosts Drew Podwal and Brad Nelson, alongside special guest Quincy Jordan, VP of Agility at AgileThought, as they delve into the critical importance of defining, understanding, and communicating your vision.

Discover why a well-defined vision is the foundation that precedes the identification of problems and the development ...

In this episode of the "Agile for Agilists Podcast," hosts Drew Podwal and Brad Nelson sit down with special guest Holly Acre, a public school teacher turned Sales Enablement Coach with a unique twist — she applies Agile and scrum principles to her performance coaching practice. The conversation takes a deep dive into the intriguing intersection of Agile methodologies and professional coaching, shedding light on a common ...

In our recent deep-dive on 'The Agile for Agilists Podcast', Brad Nelson, Drew Podwal, and the ever-insightful returning guest, Ken Rickard tackle a captivating irony: "Agile Coaches Rarely Work in Agile Environments." Together we ponder the unique challenges coaches face, emphasizing the need for heightened patience, focus, and a profound level of acceptance. Why? To meet organizations where they are in their agi...

Listen in as we navigate through a range of insightful topics in this dynamic conversation with Agile coach, John Fazzaro. We tackle the crucial idea of not knowing the value of our work until it's complete and in use, stressing the need to place faith in "why" our work is valuable rather than faith that if our work was given to us that it must be valuable. Agile practices are discussed in detail, underscoring the nec...

Welcome to a fresh season of The Agile For Agilists Podcast! We're thrilled to have Dom Michalec back as our guest, bringing his wealth of knowledge in behavior design and product management. In this episode, we dive deep into a fundamental but often underestimated aspect of any endeavor – defining success. Dom guides us through essential topics like coaching agreements, securing buy-in, and boosting attendance at your sprint r...

In this exciting episode of The Agile For Agilists Podcast, hosts Drew and Brad are joined by two esteemed guests, author Jason Little and trainer/coach Ken Rickard, to explore the fascinating world of lean change and enterprise coaching. Together, they delve into the principles and practices of lean change management and its potential to revolutionize organizational transformation.

Jason Little, renowned author of "Lean C...

In this enlightening episode of "The Agile For Agilists Podcast," our esteemed guest, Andy Cleff, an agile transformation coach at Agile Velocity and co-founder/host of the "Agile Uprising Podcast," leads Brad and Drew on an eye-opening journey down the Path to Agility.

The Path to Agility, a methodology developed by Agile Velocity, transcends frameworks and emphasizes achieving tangible business outcomes. Andy ...