#179: Leadership Decisions That Quietly Derail Agile with Mike Cohn

Many agile struggles don’t start with the team. They start with leadership decisions that seem reasonable but create friction, confusion, or misalignment over time. In this episode, Mike Cohn outlines the patterns that most often hold organizations back and what leaders can do differently.

Overview

In this episode, Brian Milner and Mike Cohn examine the leadership decisions that most often derail agile efforts. Rather than focusing on team-level practices, the conversation centers on how leadership behavior shapes outcomes across the organization.

Mike highlights several recurring issues: treating agile as a process change instead of a mindset shift, scaling before understanding what works, limiting product owner authority, and prioritizing speed over focus. He also addresses how well-intentioned leadership actions can unintentionally slow teams down or create dependency.

The discussion emphasizes that agile is not something leaders delegate. It requires changes in how leaders make decisions, set boundaries, and engage with teams. When those changes do not happen, teams may follow the motions of agile without seeing meaningful improvement.

If your organization is “doing agile” but not seeing the expected results, this episode offers a practical way to assess where leadership decisions may be contributing to the problem—and where to adjust first.

References and resources mentioned in the show:

Mike Cohn#118: The Secrets to Agile Success with Mike Cohn#143: What Still Makes Teams Work (and Win) with Jim YorkWhy Teams Matter More Than Ever for Innovation by Mike CohnHow To Fail With Agile: Twenty Tips to Help You Avoid Success by Mike Cohn + Clinton KeithSubscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast

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