“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 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauraheikkurinen/) Check out our sponsor: www.xebia.com (http://www.xebia.com) www.wiserbees.com (http://www.wiserbees.com) www.masteringagility.org (http://www.masteringagility.org) Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

“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 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-mykytiuk-0b252790/) Check out our sponsor: www.xebia.com (http://www.xebia.com) www.wiserbees.com (http://www.wiserbees.com) www.masteringagility.org (http://www.masteringagility.org) Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

"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 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/osita-ifezue-0979b96a/) Check out Think About It! With Osita Ifezue Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2idqtZvGCMswcqIPvQMDCa?si=oQhfzXDkRFCYRDtW16PkUg (https://open.spotify.com/show/2idqtZvGCMswcqIPvQMDCa?si=oQhfzXDkRFCYRDtW16PkUg) Check out our sponsor: www.xebia.com (http://www.xebia.com) www.wiserbees.com (http://www.wiserbees.com) www.masteringagility.org (http://www.masteringagility.org) Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lavrovanna/) The Culture Map: Book – Erin Meyer (https://erinmeyer.com/book/) Check out our sponsor: www.xebia.com (http://www.xebia.com) www.wiserbees.com (http://www.wiserbees.com) www.masteringagility.org (http://www.masteringagility.org) Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

“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 (https://onlinescrummastersummit.com/) Check out our sponsor: www.xebia.com (http://www.xebia.com) www.scrummatch.com (http://www.scrummatch.com) www.wiserbees.com (http://www.wiserbees.com) www.masteringagility.org (http://www.masteringagility.org) Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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 (https://onlinescrummastersummit.com/) Connect with Tobi: LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobiasmende/) Check out our sponsor: www.xebia.com (http://www.xebia.com) www.scrummatch.com (http://www.scrummatch.com) www.wiserbees.com (http://www.wiserbees.com) www.masteringagility.org (http://www.masteringagility.org) Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

"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 (https://www.linkedin.com/in/versteeg/) Check out our sponsor: www.xebia.com (http://www.xebia.com) www.scrummatch.com (http://www.scrummatch.com) www.wiserbees.com (http://www.wiserbees.com) www.masteringagility.org (http://www.masteringagility.org) Yerkes-Dodson: Lore, not Law — The Learning Scientists (https://www.learningscientists.org/blog/2024/2/29-1) Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

"If you're going to write about Agile, you better work Agile." In this special live episode, hosts Jim and Sander chat with Olina Glindevi and Ben Walder, the creative duo behind The Visual Agile Coach Playbook, at the ScanAgile 25 conference in Helsinki. They share the origin story of their book, their collaboration journey, and the power of visual thinking in agile coaching and team collaboration. The motivation and madness behind writing The Visual Agile Coach Playbook while juggling day jobs and family life. Using visuals as a serious and practical tool in agile work — not just as decoration or “fun stuff.” The creative friction between Ben’s structured writing approach and Olina’s visual process — and how they found agility in their collaboration. Why they believe trust, feedback, and staying in your lane can lead to stronger results when working in teams. The role of visual agile coaches and how visuals can unlock alignment, clarity, and engagement in teams. A sneak peek into their next project — a collaborative book on the future of work. Get the book: https://a.co/d/1V11eSO Connect with Olina & Ben (51) Olina Glindevi ✏️ | LinkedIn & (https://www.linkedin.com/in/thevisualagilecoach/)(51) Ben Walder | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/benwaldercoacheschange/) Check out our sponsor: www.xebia.com (http://www.xebia.com) www.scrummatch.com (http://www.scrummatch.com) www.wiserbees.com (http://www.wiserbees.com) www.masteringagility.org (http://www.masteringagility.org) Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

"Let people twist, turn, and break your product a little — that's where the magic happens." In this special ScanAgile 25 edition, hosts Jim and Sander sit down with Linda Liukas — renowned author, educator, and playground designer — for a rich conversation about creativity, risk, resilience, and the future of learning and public spaces. Linda shares her journey from writing Hello Ruby to designing cutting-edge computer science-themed playgrounds that challenge how we think about education, risk-taking, and play. Together, they explore the parallels between playgrounds and workplaces, how organizations can foster real innovation (hint: it's not about micromanaging), and why letting people "own" a product or process leads to bigger impacts. Whether you're a leader, educator, or innovator, this episode will spark ideas about autonomy, growth, and designing environments — both physical and cultural — where people can thrive. Connect with Linda: (27) Linda Liukas | LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindaliukas/) Check out our sponsor: www.xebia.com (http://www.xebia.com) www.scrummatch.com (http://www.scrummatch.com) www.wiserbees.com (http://www.wiserbees.com) www.masteringagility.org (http://www.masteringagility.org) Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

"Resilience isn’t about avoiding change; it’s about learning to thrive within it." Join us for a special live episode of the Mastering Agility Podcast, recorded at the ScanAgile Conference 2025! Our guest, Tricia Broderick, is a leadership expert, coach, and passionate advocate for building high-performing and resilient teams. In this insightful conversation, we explore how leaders can foster true agility in their teams, navigate uncertainty, and empower individuals to drive innovation. Tricia shares her experiences in leadership development, the key challenges she sees in agile transformations, and practical strategies for cultivating a culture of trust, resilience, and collaboration. Whether you’re a seasoned leader or an aspiring change agent, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways you won’t want to miss! Connect with Tricia: linkedin.com/in/tricia-broderick (http://linkedin.com/in/tricia-broderick) Check out our sponsor: www.xebia.com (http://www.xebia.com) www.scrummatch.com (http://www.scrummatch.com) www.wiserbees.com (http://www.wiserbees.com) www.masteringagility.org (http://www.masteringagility.org) Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.