Agile is Dead (Again). But Here’s the Truth Every Leader Needs to Hear.
Every few years, headlines declare ‘Agile is dead.’ Well, it’s 2025 and here we go again.
It’s funny. I wrote this article in Nov 2019 when there was a flood of “Agile is dead” posts going on. And between 2019 and now, plenty of companies have adopted and used Agile and plenty of Agile coaches, Scrum Masters, RTEs and the like have made a living. So, how dead is Agile, really?
Here is my take on it.
The idea that Agile is a step-by-step process for success—like some magic diet pill that lets you eat all you want, never exercise, and end up looking like The Rock—is dead. Actually, it was never alive. It’s always been a mythical creature. But I know plenty of people are selling both ideas, and plenty of people are buying. When Agile doesn’t work as promised, they throw up their hands and say, “Agile doesn’t work.”
I just did a video sharing my take on the 4 values of the Agile Manifesto. It’s hard to say that those values are dead. As a matter of fact, in today’s AI fueled hyper paced rate of change, they are paramount. Even more, maybe there is an implied 5th value for the manifesto:
We value The Agile Mindset over the Agile Process.
Honestly, I think that’s just a restatement of the first values (we value individuals and interactions over process and tools).
But why am I writing this in a newsletter for technical leaders? Because YOU, as a technical leader, are the key to building the Agile mindset and the resulting Agile culture and ecosystem. Agile isn’t a checklist of meetings or a format for writing user stories. It’s a way of thinking, acting, and responding to the changes around you.
Don’t get me wrong—those things, like meetings and consistency in format, are important. But you have to know why you’re doing them and what problem they’re solving. For example, as a SAFe SPC, I think SAFe has a lot of strong tools and processes. When applied in the right situation with the right mindset, they can help teams and organizations scale effectively. But when applied blindly, like a checklist, they can bog a company down with so many meetings and so much process that delivering value becomes a slow, painful crawl.
Three Ways to Build an Agile Mindset as a Leader
As a leader, you’re charged with fostering the mindset and culture that make Agile work. Here are three steps to get started:
1. Always Know What Problem You’re Solving
If you think you want to have a daily stand-up, why? If you think you want to make a plan ever 2 weeks, why? Agile isn’t about following a process just because it has become the defacto standard. It is about solving real problems that your team is facing. For each part of any Agile process you want to introduce, be it Scrum, Kanban, XP or SAFe, ask yourself:
- What problem are we fixing?
- How will this new process help us deliver value?
- What does success look like?
- What happens if we don’t do it?
Looking back at the idea of a daily stand-up. If your team is struggling with misaligned priorities, a daily stand-up might help. But if they are staying aligned with each other and with the team’s mission without it, then do you really need it?
2. Create a Feedback Loop for Learning and Improvement
A key element of any Agile culture is feedback—not just from customers, but within your team. As a leader, create a culture where feedback is welcomed and leads to action and change. If feedback doesn’t lead to change, it will stop coming. If feedback generates criticism of the team, it will stop coming.
Here are some starters for creating a feedback culture
- Scheduled retro’s are great, but let that be the only place you get feedback from the team
- When the team points out a problem, ask how they would solve it
- Listen. No, really, LISTEN. Be curious, explore with open ended powerful questions.
- Empower your team to experiment and iterate, and that means fail and make mistakes.
- Thank them for the feedback, let them know you hear it, even if it’s not something you can change.
A feedback loop isn’t just a process—it’s a mindset of trust, dialog, continuous learning and adaptation.
3. Balance Stability with Experimentation
A common pitfall in Agile adoption is leaning too far in one direction—either setting up rigid thou-shalt processes of any kind or chasing so much constant change that there really is no process. Your role as a leader is to strike the right balance.
- Stability provides the foundation your team needs to deliver consistently.
- Without some standardization, you can’t drive improvements.
- Experimentation drives innovation and improvement.
- Experimenting means failing – proving or disproving a hypothesis, be ready and be comfortable
For example, ensure your team has clear priorities and processes for managing technical debt, but also encourage them to explore new tools or approaches that could unlock greater efficiency or creativity.
Be Brave: Ask Questions and Break the Pattern
As a leader, fostering an Agile mindset requires bravery. It means asking the “dumb questions” no one else wants to ask. It means breaking out of old patterns and introducing new ways of working—even if they feel uncomfortable at first.
Let me share a quick story. I helped a design team at an entertainment venue (think laser tag or bowling alley) that was stuck in a rut. They couldn’t agree on how to design a new guest experience. After several weeks of going in circles, they asked me to step in.
I didn’t come in with deep experience in their industry. What I did bring was a willingness to ask questions and break their pattern. I used sticky notes to map out their ideas and gave them a visual way to organize their thoughts. This simple act of bravery—proposing a new process—helped the team align and move forward.
The lesson? Be brave and try something new. Whether it’s sticky notes, a contest, a poll, or a game, the key is to break the cycle. Even if it feels strange at first, you’ll soon be known as the person who brings creative and effective solutions to the table.
Conclusion: Agile Isn’t Dead—It’s Evolving
Agile isn’t dead—it’s evolving just like everything else around us. And as a technical leader, you’re at the forefront of that evolution. By focusing on the problems you’re solving, fostering a culture of feedback, and balancing stability with experimentation, you can build an Agile mindset and culture that empowers your team to thrive in a world of constant change.
Remember, Agile isn’t about following a checklist—it’s about leading with purpose and adaptability.
What steps will you take this week to champion the Agile mindset in your organization?
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