Agile Mentors Podcast from Mountain Goat Software

Epizódy

• #187: A Quick Summer Update and a Look at What's Ahead with Brian Milner 23.06.2026 8min

  The Agile Mentors Podcast is taking a short summer break, but that does not mean the conversation is stopping. In this special update, Brian shares what is ahead for the show and introduces a new podcast exploring one of the biggest questions facing modern teams: what happens when AI becomes part of how work gets done?   Overview   As the Agile Mentors Podcast pauses new episodes for the summer, Brian takes a few minutes to reflect on what this community has explored together over the years. While Scrum, Agile, product ownership, leadership, and coaching have been recurring topics, the deeper theme has always been people: how teams learn, collaborate, make decisions, and improve over time.   Brian also shares details about his new podcast, People Over Prompts, which will focus on the changing relationship between humans and AI at work. As AI moves beyond being a simple tool and becomes a more active collaborator, organizations are being challenged to rethink team structures, workflows, accountability, and decision-making. What does a team look like when every person is supported by multiple AI agents? What responsibilities should remain firmly human? And how do we preserve judgment, creativity, and shared understanding in an AI-enabled workplace? This episode offers a preview of those conversations while looking ahead to what comes next for both podcasts.   References and resources mentioned in the show: People Over Prompts podcast#82: The Intersection of AI and Agile with Emilia Breton#175: When AI Makes Agile Teams Worse with Hunter HillegasAI Doesn’t Eliminate Agile Teams — It Increases the Need for Great Ones by Mike CohnSubscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast   Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work.
• #186: Why Teams Stop Caring About Retrospectives with Cort Sharp 27.05.2026 32min

  Retrospectives are supposed to help teams improve, but for many teams they slowly become rushed, repetitive, or skipped altogether. In this episode, Brian Milner and Cort Sharp unpack why retrospectives lose their value and what Scrum Masters and leaders can do to make them useful again.   Overview When a team stops engaging in retrospectives, it is usually a symptom of something deeper. Sometimes the format has become stale. Sometimes the team no longer feels safe being honest. And sometimes the biggest issue is that retrospectives create plenty of discussion but very little meaningful change. In this conversation, Brian and Cort explore the most common reasons retrospectives begin to fail and how teams can rebuild trust in the process. They discuss the importance of psychological safety, why teams should focus on fewer actions instead of trying to fix everything at once, and how Scrum Masters can better tailor retrospectives to the personalities and working styles of their teams. They also share practical ideas for making retrospectives more engaging, more actionable, and more valuable over time.   References and resources mentioned in the show: Cort SharpAmy Edmonson, Psychological Safety#139: The Retrospective Reset with Cort Sharp#141: Cooking Up a Killer Retrospective with Brian MilnerThe Empirical Retrospective Approach by Mike CohnSubscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast   Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work. Cort Sharp is the Scrum Master of the producing team and the Agile Mentors Community Manager. In addition to his love for Agile, Cort is also a serious swimmer and has been coaching swimmers for five years.
• #185: The Real ROI of Agile with Scott Dunn 27.05.2026 41min

  A lot of organizations say they’ve “gone Agile,” but still struggle with missed deadlines, unclear priorities, and teams that feel busy without delivering better outcomes. In this episode, Scott Dunn joins Brian Milner to unpack why Agile ROI is so often misunderstood and what leaders should actually be measuring instead.    Overview What does a successful Agile transformation actually look like? Too often, organizations adopt Scrum or Agile practices because everyone else is doing it, without first defining the business outcomes they hope to achieve. The result is predictable: teams follow the motions of Agile while leadership struggles to see measurable value. In this conversation, Brian Milner and Scott Dunn explore why ROI conversations around Agile frequently go off track and how leaders can reconnect Agile practices to meaningful business goals like faster delivery, improved customer satisfaction, stronger collaboration, and better adaptability. They discuss the hidden cost of operationalizing Agile too early, why coaching and leadership alignment still matter, and how the rise of AI makes strong Agile fundamentals more important, not less.   References and resources mentioned in the show: Scott Dunn#104: Mastering Product Ownership with Mike Cohn#132: Can Nice Guys Finish First? with Scott DunnDo the Proven Benefits of Agile Training Justify the Costs? by Mike CohnSubscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast   Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work. Scott Dunn is a Certified Enterprise Coach and Scrum Trainer with over 20 years of experience coaching and training companies like NASA, EMC/Dell Technologies, Yahoo!, Technicolor, and eBay to transition to an agile approach using Scrum.
• #184: Scrum in High-Stakes Environments with John Holmes 27.05.2026 31min

  Many leaders assume Agile breaks down in highly regulated environments. John Holmes has spent years proving the opposite inside aerospace, defense, and space programs where the cost of failure is extremely high.   Overview   In this episode, Brian Milner talks with Scrum Inc. Fellow John Holmes about what it actually takes to apply Scrum in complex defense and aerospace organizations. From military programs to space systems, John explains why Agile is often less about moving faster and more about creating visibility, improving communication, and reducing the risk of major surprises late in delivery.   John also shares practical lessons from coaching teams inside highly disciplined environments where command-and-control leadership has traditionally dominated. The conversation explores how Agile can strengthen discipline rather than weaken it, why trust and training matter more than process compliance, and how small operational changes can create meaningful improvements in delivery, alignment, and team effectiveness.   References and resources mentioned in the show:   John Holmes#107: Transforming Organizational Mindsets with Bernie Maloney#108: Adaptive Organizations with Ken RickardThere Is No End State When Transitioning to Agile by Mike CohnSubscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast   Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work. John Holmes is a Scrum Inc. Fellow who has spent decades helping aerospace, defense, and government organizations apply Agile and Scrum in some of the world’s most complex environments. From launching Scrum for Space at Lockheed Martin to training thousands of leaders and teams since 2005, John brings a practical, field-tested perspective on what it really takes to make Agile work where the stakes are high.
• #183: How AI Is Reshaping Product Ownership with Lance Dacy 26.05.2026 33min

  AI can help product owners move faster, but faster is not always better. In this episode, Lance Dacy and Brian Milner explore where AI genuinely improves product work and where teams still need strong judgment, clear priorities, and real customer understanding.   Overview   As development teams adopt AI tools at a rapid pace, product owners are under pressure to keep up. Brian and Lance discuss how AI is already changing backlog refinement, product discovery, stakeholder communication, and day-to-day product work. They also explore why many teams are still using AI too narrowly and missing larger opportunities to improve decision-making and collaboration.   The conversation stays grounded in practical application rather than hype. Lance shares where AI can save product owners meaningful time, where human judgment still matters most, and why teams need to be careful about treating AI-generated output as automatically correct. If your team is trying to understand how AI fits into modern product leadership, this episode offers a realistic starting point.   References and resources mentioned in the show:   Lance Dacy#117: How AI and Automation Are Redefining Success for Developers with Lance Dacy#164: Why Innovation Efforts Fall Flat with Tendayi VikiAI Doesn’t Eliminate Agile Teams — It Increases the Need for Great Ones by Mike CohnSubscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast   Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work. Lance Dacy is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®. Lance brings a great personality and servant's heart to his workshops. He loves seeing people walk away with tangible and practical things they can do with their teams straight away.
• #182: Never Stop Experimenting with Stavros Stavru 19.05.2026 26min

  In a world changing faster than most teams can keep up with, standing still may be the biggest risk of all. Brian Milner sits down with Stavros Stavru to explore why experimentation is no longer optional and how teams can build a culture that adapts before disruption forces it to.   Overview Many organizations say they value experimentation, but few create the conditions that make real experimentation possible. Too often, teams either stay trapped in familiar patterns or mistake random change for meaningful learning. In this episode, Brian Milner talks with Stavros Stavru, author of Never Stop Experimenting, about what experimentation actually looks like in practice. Stavros shares how rapid advances in AI and constant disruption are forcing teams to rethink how they learn, adapt, and improve. Together, they discuss the difference between experimentation and “experimentation theater,” why small experiments matter, and how leaders can model the kind of curiosity and adaptability they want their teams to develop. Stavros also shares practical examples from his book, including simple ways teams can test assumptions, gather more honest feedback, and create stronger learning loops in their day-to-day work.   References and resources mentioned in the show: Stavros StavruNever Stop Experimenting by Stavros Stavru, Ph.D.#56: The Power of Experimentation#118: The Secrets to Agile Success with Mike Cohn When Do Agile Teams Make Time for Innovation? By Mike CohnSubscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast   Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work. Stavros Stavru is an organizational transformation researcher and Agile practitioner whose work focuses on helping teams create lasting alignment instead of temporary improvement. After two decades working with thousands of professionals across 500+ organizations, he founded AhaPlay to turn strategy and behavioral science into measurable team alignment without relying on facilitators.
• #181: How to Start Agile Without Overengineering It with Cort Sharp 12.05.2026 33min

  Too many teams try to “do Agile” by adding layers of process before they understand the problem they’re trying to solve. In this episode, Brian Milner and Cort Sharp discuss how to start Agile simply, avoid unnecessary complexity, and build practices that actually fit your team.   Overview When organizations first adopt Agile, they often make the same mistake: they start with frameworks, terminology, and process layers instead of focusing on visibility, feedback, and learning. The result is a system that feels heavy before it ever becomes useful. In this episode, Brian Milner and Cort Sharp explore a more practical approach to getting started with Agile. They discuss why teams should focus on foundational concepts like transparency, short feedback loops, and clear priorities before worrying about scaling frameworks or advanced practices. Brian and Cort also share the common “drag factors” that slow Agile adoption down, including process overload, coordination complexity, and measuring the wrong outcomes. If your team is trying to become more Agile without creating more bureaucracy, this episode offers a practical starting point.   References and resources mentioned in the show:   Cort SharpIntroducing An Agile Process to an Organization by Mike Cohn + Doris FordRelationship between Definition of Done and Conditions of Satisfaction by Mike CohnWhy Agile Teams Put So Much Emphasis on Being Done Each Iteration by Mike Cohn Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast    Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input.   Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one.   Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work.  Cort Sharp is the Scrum Master of the producing team and the Agile Mentors Community Manager. In addition to his love for Agile, Cort is also a serious swimmer and has been coaching swimmers for five years.
• #180: Why Velocity Is the Wrong Metric for Leadership with Scott Dunn 05.05.2026 30min

  Velocity can help a team plan, but it creates problems when leaders use it to judge performance. In this episode, Brian Milner and Scott Dunn explain why that shift happens so often and what leaders should pay attention to instead.   Overview Velocity is one of the most misunderstood metrics in Agile. Used well, it helps a team forecast and make planning decisions. Used poorly, it becomes a productivity score that encourages inflated estimates, unhealthy comparisons, and a focus on output rather than value. In this episode, Brian and Scott discuss why leaders often reach for velocity, why it gives them the wrong signal, and how teams can reconnect measurement to outcomes, learning, and business impact. They also explore how AI is making this issue more urgent by increasing delivery speed while putting even more pressure on leaders to ask whether teams are building the right things.   References and resources mentioned in the show: Scott Dunn#35: Metrics with Lance DacyRethink the Refinement Session: Less Time, Better Outcomes by Mike CohnThe Cost of Change Curve Is Outdated by Mike CohnSubscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast    Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input.   Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one.   Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com   This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work.  Scott Dunn is a Certified Enterprise Coach and Scrum Trainer with over 20 years of experience coaching and training companies like NASA, EMC/Dell Technologies, Yahoo!, Technicolor, and eBay to transition to an agile approach using Scrum. 
• #179: Leadership Decisions That Quietly Derail Agile with Mike Cohn 18.04.2026 29min

  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    Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input.   Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one.   Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work.  Mike Cohn, CEO of Mountain Goat Software, is a passionate advocate for agile methodologies. Co-founder of Agile Alliance and Scrum Alliance, he thrives on helping companies succeed with Agile and witnessing its transformative impact on individuals' careers. Mike resides in Northern Idaho with his family, two Havanese dogs, and an impressive hot sauce collection.
• #178: How AI Is Actually Changing Software Teams with Hunter Hillegas 07.04.2026 29min

  AI isn’t just speeding up coding. It’s starting to change how teams work, what they build, and even who needs to be involved. In this episode, Brian and Hunter separate real impact from hype and explore what’s already shifting inside teams.   Overview AI tools are improving fast, but what does that actually mean for teams doing the work? In this episode, Brian Milner sits down with Hunter Hillegas, CTO of Mountain Goat Software, to explore how AI is being used today inside real software teams. They dig into where these tools are genuinely accelerating work, from coding agents and automated testing to analyzing large data sets and reducing friction in everyday tasks. They also unpack the growing shift from writing code to reviewing it, and what that means for developers and team dynamics. At the same time, they address the gap between hype and reality. Where does AI perform well, and where does it still fall short? What happens when adoption is pushed top-down without clarity? And how might AI start to reshape roles, collaboration, and expectations across a team? This is a practical, honest look at what’s changing right now, where to start if you’re new to these tools, and how to think about AI as part of your team without losing sight of how real teams actually work.   References and resources mentioned in the show:   Hunter HillegasMountaingoat Software’s AI Toolkit#82: The Intersection of AI and Agile with Emilia Breton#169: Building Practical AI for Agile Teams with Hunter Hillegas#175: When AI Makes Agile Teams Worse with Hunter HillegasAI Doesn’t Eliminate Agile Teams — It Increases the Need for Great Ones by Mike CohnHow to Use AI for Product Discovery and Writing Better User Stories by Mike Cohn Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast    Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input.   Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one.   Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work.  Hunter Hillegas is the Chief Technology Officer at Mountain Goat Software. With over 20 years of experience in software development, product ownership, and team leadership, he leads the creation of tools like the AI Toolkit and Team Home to support effective, engaging learning experiences. Hunter lives in Santa Barbara, California, with his wife and their dog Enzo.
• #177: The 5 Habits of High Learning Teams with Lance Dacy 24.03.2026 36min

  Most teams say they want to improve. Few actually build the habits that make it happen. In this episode, Brian and Lance break down what separates teams that learn from teams that stall—and what leaders do that quietly gets in the way.   Overview What does it really take to become a learning team? In this episode, Brian Milner and Lance Dacy walk through five habits that show up in teams that continuously improve—and the leadership behaviors that either support or shut them down. From psychological safety and truth-telling to short learning cycles and focusing on the right problems, they unpack what actually drives improvement inside real organizations. Along the way, they challenge common assumptions about silence, metrics, and “heroic” problem-solving, and offer practical ways leaders can shift their approach starting immediately. If your team feels stuck, busy but not improving, or hesitant to speak up, this conversation gets to the root of why—and what to do about it.   References and resources mentioned in the show:   Lance DacyBlog: Why Teams Matter More Than Ever for Innovation by Mike Cohn #143: What Still Makes Teams Work (and Win) with Jim York #171: Why Agile Teams Succeed—or Don’t with Colin Fisher Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast    Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input.   Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work.  Lance Dacy is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®. Lance brings a great personality and servant's heart to his workshops. He loves seeing people walk away with tangible and practical things they can do with their teams straight away.
• #176: Why Most Product Organizations Struggle with Jason Knight 09.03.2026 34min

  Many product teams are busy, but not necessarily effective. Brian Milner talks with product consultant Jason Knight about why so many organizations struggle with prioritization, customer insight, and measuring success—and what it takes to build a product organization that actually delivers value.   Overview What does it really mean to transform a product organization? Brian Milner sits down with product consultant and One Knight in Product host Jason Knight to explore the gap between how product management is described in books and how it actually works inside most companies. They discuss the reality many teams face: massive backlogs full of competing priorities, pressure from stakeholders, and organizations that say they are customer-focused but rarely talk to customers. Jason shares practical perspectives on prioritization, strategy, and why good product teams must learn to say no—even to good ideas. The conversation also dives into customer discovery, the barriers that keep teams from speaking directly with users, and how organizations should think about measuring success beyond simply “building the feature.” If your organization is trying to move beyond feature factories and build a stronger product practice, this episode offers a grounded look at where to start.   References and resources mentioned in the show: Jason KnightOne Knight in Product PodcastBlog: What Does a Product Owner Do, When, and Why?Blog: How to Ensure You’re Working on the Most Important Items Each Iteration by Mike Cohn#124: How to Avoid Common Product Team Pitfalls with David Pereira#154: The Underpowered PO with Barnaby GoldenSubscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast    Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input.   Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one.   Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work.  Jason Knight is a product consultant, coach, and host of the One Knight in Product podcast who helps scaling B2B companies move beyond feature factories and build product teams that deliver real business impact. He works with organizations to connect strategy to execution through fractional product leadership, workshops, and coaching that bring clarity, alignment, and measurable results.  
• #175: When AI Makes Agile Teams Worse with Hunter Hillegas 25.02.2026 27min

  AI can make teams faster. But it can also quietly make them worse. In this episode, Brian Milner and Hunter Hillegas dig into the risks no one wants to talk about—from eroding developer judgment to weakening team communication—and what healthy teams should do about it.   Overview AI tools are powerful. They can generate code, draft tests, and accelerate delivery in ways that felt impossible just a few years ago. But speed is not the same as effectiveness. In this episode, Brian sits down with Mountain Goat Software CTO Hunter Hillegas to explore where AI may actually be hurting Agile teams. They discuss the risk of losing junior developer growth paths, the illusion of productivity through inflated metrics, the danger of outsourcing judgment, and how AI can quietly create communication silos inside Scrum teams. This is not an anti-AI conversation. It is a practical one. You will hear what guardrails healthy teams should consider, why accountability still belongs to humans, and how to use AI as a tool without letting it reshape your culture in ways you did not intend. If your team is leaning into AI, this episode will help you do it with your eyes open.   References and resources mentioned in the show: Hunter Hillegas Blog: AI Doesn’t Eliminate Agile Teams — It Increases the Need for Great Ones by Mike Cohn#169: Building Practical AI for Agile Teams with Hunter Hillegas #82: The Intersection of AI and Agile with Emilia Breton #151: What AI Is Really Delivering (and What It’s Not) with Evan Leybourn & Christopher MoralesMountain Goat Software Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast    Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input.   Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one.   Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work.  Hunter Hillegas is the Chief Technology Officer at Mountain Goat Software. With over 20 years of experience in software development, product ownership, and team leadership, he leads the creation of tools like the AI Toolkit and Team Home to support effective, engaging learning experiences. Hunter lives in Santa Barbara, California, with his wife and their dog Enzo.
• #174: Why Estimating Still Matters with Mike Cohn 11.02.2026 36min

  Estimating can bring out strong reactions, and for good reason. Mike Cohn and Brian Milner unpack why it gets misused, what “estimate responsibly” really means, and how to use planning to make better decisions without turning numbers into weapons. Overview In this episode, Brian sits down with Mike Cohn to talk about estimating and planning in a way that teams can actually live with. They explore why estimates became such a hot button topic, what the “no estimates” movement is reacting to, and how Mike’s thinking has evolved over time. You will hear practical guidance on story points versus time, why teams should estimate only when it helps someone make a decision, and how to keep estimates from damaging trust. They also cover where flow metrics help, where they fall short, and how teams build credibility with leadership through responsible planning. References and resources mentioned in the show: Mike Cohn Estimating & Planning in Agile - A 2026 Field Guide Accurate Agile Planning Course Blog: Estimating and Planning in Agile: Why They Still Matter in 2026 by Mike Cohn Blog: Getting Better Estimates Is Easier Than You Think by Mike Cohn Blog: What Are Agile Story Points? By Mike Cohn Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work. Mike Cohn, CEO of Mountain Goat Software, is a passionate advocate for agile methodologies. Co-founder of Agile Alliance and Scrum Alliance, he thrives on helping companies succeed with Agile and witnessing its transformative impact on individuals' careers. Mike resides in Northern Idaho with his family, two Havanese dogs, and an impressive hot sauce collection.
• #173: Hiring for Agile Roles That Actually Work with Cort Sharp 28.01.2026 39min

  Hiring for Scrum roles is harder than it looks. Making the wrong call can derail an Agile transformation before it even starts. In this episode, Brian and Cort unpack what to actually look for in Scrum Masters, Product Owners, and Developers—beyond the job title and shiny certifications. Overview What makes someone a great Scrum Master? How do you spot the difference between a capable Product Owner and a glorified backlog manager? And what qualities matter most in a developer on a cross-functional Agile team? In this episode, Brian Milner and Cort Sharp dig into one of the most foundational (and overlooked) parts of successful Agile adoption: hiring. You’ll learn what to include—and what to avoid—in your job descriptions, how to interview for the “real” skills that matter, and why collaboration often matters more than technical brilliance. Whether you're filling new roles or leveling up existing ones, this conversation will help you build stronger, more resilient teams from day one. References and resources mentioned in the show: Cort Sharp Blog: 7 Questions to Determine if Being a Scrum Master Is Right for You by Mike Cohn #155: Preparing for Interviews the Agile Way with Tali Shlafer #157: What Teams Are Struggling With Right Now with Cort Sharp Agile Skills Video Library Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work. Cort Sharp is an Agile Coach, Trainer, and Scrum Master. In addition to his love for Agile, Cort is also a serious swimmer and has been coaching swimmers for five years.
• #172: The Five Pillars of Agile Transformation with Mike Cohn 14.01.2026 32min

  Most agile transformations start with energy, and then stall out when things get complex. In this episode, Mike Cohn returns with a practical framework to help teams and leaders spot what’s missing, build lasting momentum, and navigate change with more clarity and intention. Overview Agile isn’t just a set of practices—it’s a mindset shift, a role shift, and a culture shift. And without the right support, even the best-intentioned transformation efforts can lose steam. In this episode, Mike Cohn joins Brian to walk through his Five Pillars of Agile Transformation—a practical structure for guiding change that actually sticks. Whether you're leading a single team or rolling out agile across the organization, this conversation will help you focus your efforts, spot common gaps, and use agile principles to strengthen your transformation from the inside out. References and resources mentioned in the show: Mike Cohn What Happens When One of the Pillars is Missing Graphic The Five Pillars of a Successful Agile Transformation by Mike Cohn #102: Communicating Agile Transformations with McCaul Baggett #110: Overcoming Organizational Dysfunctions with Lucy O’Keefe #152: The Five Pillars of Real Agile Improvement with Mike Cohn Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work. Mike Cohn, CEO of Mountain Goat Software, is a passionate advocate for agile methodologies. Co-founder of Agile Alliance and Scrum Alliance, he thrives on helping companies succeed with Agile and witnessing its transformative impact on individuals' careers. Mike resides in Northern Idaho with his family, two Havanese dogs, and an impressive hot sauce collection.
• #171: Why Agile Teams Succeed—or Don’t with Colin Fisher 17.12.2025 34min

  Most teams aren’t broken because of individual incompetence. They’re struggling because the group itself isn’t set up to thrive. In this episode, author and researcher Colin Fisher joins Brian to reframe how we think about team performance, conflict, and psychological safety through the lens of real science, real practice, and a little jazz. Overview Group dynamics aren’t fluff. They’re the operating system behind every Agile team’s success (or struggle). Colin Fisher, author of The Collective Edge, joins Brian to share what decades of research and hands-on observation reveal about high-performing teams. From ideal team size (spoiler: it’s 4.5), to avoiding the trap of blaming individuals for systemic issues, Colin offers a practical, thought-provoking look at how to build more resilient, collaborative, and human-centered teams. Expect fresh insights on team launch moments, role clarity, feedback culture, remote collaboration and how to keep your team “groupy” in the best possible way. References and resources mentioned in the show: Colin Fisher Collective Edge by Colin Fisher Colin's Free Newsletter LinkedIn YouTube #80: From Struggling to Success: Reviving Agile Teams with Mike Cohn #143: What Still Makes Teams Work (and Win) with Jim York Self-Organizing Teams Are Not Put Together Randomly by Mike Cohn Agile Skills Video Library Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work. Colin Fisher is a former professional jazz musician turned organizational behavior expert who now helps teams unlock their creative and collaborative edge. A professor at University College London and author of The Collective Edge, Colin draws on decades of research—and a bit of jazz improv—to help leaders understand what really makes groups tick.
• #170: Leadership Lessons from the Marine Corps with Tanner Wortham 10.12.2025 30min

  What can Agile leaders learn from the Marines? In this episode, Tanner Wortham joins Brian to share how principles of military leadership—like building authority into the trenches, experimenting under pressure, and prioritizing shared mission over ego—map surprisingly well to modern Agile teams. Overview In this conversation, Brian sits down with Marine Corps veteran and Execution Architect Tanner Wortham to explore the parallels between leading Marines and leading Agile teams. Drawing from both military and coaching experience, Tanner unpacks how the Corps’ “rule of three,” mission-first mentality, and obsession with experimentation mirror the best of Agile thinking. They discuss how effective leadership empowers decision-making at the edges, why conflict shouldn't be avoided but navigated with curiosity, and how facing toward hard problems—rather than away from them—builds high-performing, resilient teams. Whether you're coaching a Scrum team or leading large-scale transformations, Tanner’s insights offer a fresh lens on what it really means to lead with agility. References and resources mentioned in the show: Tanner Wortham What the Corps Calls Leading Marines Others Call Agility #113: Influence Without Authority with Christopher DiBella #135: Leading Without Authority with Pete Behrens #132: Can Nice Guys Finish First? with Scott Dunn Get the Agile Skills Video Library Use code PODCASTSKILLS for $10 off Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work. Tanner Wortham is a former Marine turned leadership coach who helps teams and execs cut through the noise, lead with clarity, and actually get things done. With experience at LinkedIn, Salesforce, and beyond, he brings a no-fluff, human-first approach to growth, agility, and real leadership.
• #169: Building Practical AI for Agile Teams with Hunter Hillegas 03.12.2025 34min

  It’s not just about cool tools. Hunter Hillegas (CTO at Mountain Goat Software) joins Brian to unpack what it’s really like to build with AI—from hallucinations and context management to dev workflows, testing strategies, and where the humans still matter most. Overview This episode dives deep into the real work behind bringing AI into agile. Brian and Hunter trace the arc from early experiments to full-scale agents, sharing what it took to build responsibly on large language models (and what still keeps them up at night). They get into the weeds of context handling, trust and verification, dev productivity, and what makes a good AI coach actually helpful. Along the way, they explore how tools are changing—faster than most teams can keep up—and what that means for the future of learning, coding, and collaborating in agile environments. References and resources mentioned in the show: Hunter Hilligas AI Tool Kit Agile Skils Video Library Mike's Better User Stories Webinar #82: The Intersection of AI and Agile with Emilia Breton #151: What AI Is Really Delivering (and What It’s Not) with Evan Leybourn & Christopher Morales #161: Test-Driven Development in the Age of AI with Clare Sudbery #166: AI Isn’t Coming for Your Job, But It Is Joining Your Team with Dr. Michael Housman Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work. Hunter Hillegas is the Chief Technology Officer at Mountain Goat Software. With over 20 years of experience in software development, product ownership, and team leadership, he leads the creation of tools like the AI Toolkit and Team Home to support effective, engaging learning experiences. Hunter lives in Santa Barbara, California, with his wife and their dog Enzo.
• #168: Gratitude, Growth, and the Power to Evolve with Brian Milner 26.11.2025 7min

  It’s not a full episode this week—but it might be the one your heart needs. Brian Milner shares what he’s truly grateful for this year (spoiler: it’s not a new tool or framework), reflects on the human side of agility, and invites you to join him in a quick pause before the final sprint of 2025. Overview In this special solo episode, Brian Milner pauses to reflect on what he's most grateful for this year—and invites you to do the same. From a renewed focus on the human side of agility to the evolving nature of our roles as leaders and practitioners, this heartfelt message is a reminder that change isn’t just necessary—it’s powerful. Brian also shares his appreciation for the Mountain Goat Software team and a behind-the-scenes shoutout to Agile Mentors’ own Laura Kendrick for making the show possible. Short, sweet, and soul-centered, it’s a moment to breathe, acknowledge growth, and say thanks before we sprint toward the end of the year. References and resources mentioned in the show: Five Lessons I’m Thankful I Learned in my Agile Career by Mike Cohn #123: Unlocking Team Intelligence with Linda Rising #125: Embracing Gratitude in Challenging Times with Brian Milner #134: How Leaders Can Reduce Burnout and Boost Performance with Marcus Lagré Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast Want to get involved? This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input. Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one. Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at podcast@mountaingoatsoftware.com This episode’s presenters are: Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work.