We love to say we’re Agile… but then we bury our teams under complexity, overstuffed user stories, bloated processes, and “just in case” documentation.In this episode, Kate Megaw and Ryan Smith unpack one deceptively simple piec...

In this fast-paced, slightly ranty, totally real conversation, Kate Megaw and Ryan Smith dive into the invisible force that quietly slows teams down: the lack of permission.  Permission to simplify.  Permission to say, “I don...

End-of-year retrospectives don’t have to feel like grim post-mortems or blame-fests.  In this episode, Kate Megaw and Ryan Smith break down how to run a year-in-review retrospective that’s fun, psychologically safe, and actua...

If your meetings could be replaced by an email, we have a problem.  In this high-energy guide, we’ll walk you through the facilitation moves that we use to transform virtual meetings from “snooze-fest with slides” into engaging, interactiv...

In the final episode of our Leadership Growth Wheel series, Kate and Ryan welcome back the brilliant Anu Smalley to unpack the eighth domain: Facilitative Leadership.  After months journeying through Self, Relational, Strategic...

If leadership feels lonely, you’re not “elite”－you’re exhausted.  Partnership leadership flips the script: instead of carrying everything on your own, you intentionally build influence, negotiate for shared success, and engage stakeholders...

Shadow work: those hidden tasks inside “done” and the off-board favors your team quietly takes on, silently steals capacity, tanks predictability, and frustrates everyone.  This high-energy, practical guide shows you how to name it, measur...

If your meetings and events feel flat, formulaic, or just plain exhausting, it’s time to shake things up.  In this lively, practical guide, we explore three meeting formats that actually work: Lean Coffee, Open Space, and World Café.  ...

Big personalities can bring energy, but when one voice takes over, the team loses out.  In this lively episode, we dive into practical ways to tame the talkers, without shutting them down.  Discover facilitation moves that give quiete...

Stop the Madness!  You’ve coded like a rockstar, but the sprint clock is ticking, and QA is still pounding away!  This episode tears down the biggest myth in Scrum: the phantom finish line.Is it "done" or...

Ready to finally Settle the Great Debate Over Bugs and Spikes (or at least get a coherent philosophy)?  We’re diving into the details with high-impact takeaways! Stop the confusion and start delivering—we'll clarify the essential di...

Backlog refinement (formerly “grooming”) isn’t a Scrum event: it’s an activity.  That’s exactly why so many teams either skip it, cram it in at the end of the sprint, or turn it into a rabbit hole of solutioning.  In this episode we u...

Retrospectives are one of the most powerful opportunities a team has to improve. Yet far too often, they’re skipped because “we don’t have time,” rushed through as an afterthought, or treated as a dull box-checking exercise.  Even worse, s...

The Sprint Review shouldn’t be a sleepy status update, it’s a high-leverage inspection-and-adaptation event that shapes what happens next.  In this episode, we break down what a great Sprint Review looks like, why developers should demo wo...

In this episode of the Leadership Growth Wheel series, Kate Megaw, Ryan Smith, and Anu Smalley unpack the often-overlooked domain of Operational Leadership. Strategy may set the direction, but without operational leadership, organizati...

The Daily Scrum is the shortest Scrum event and the most misunderstood. Too many teams turn it into a draggy 30-minute status update instead of the energizing 15-minute sync it’s meant to be.In this episode, Kate & Ryan break down ho...

Too many Sprint Plannings feel like marathons with no finish line.  In this episode, Kate & Ryan show you how to flip the script!  They break down practical facilitation moves to keep Sprint Planning crisp, collaborative, and conf...

Most people think facilitation means running a meeting, keeping time, or taking notes. But true facilitation is so much more - it’s about guiding groups toward purpose-driven outcomes, staying neutral, navigating conflict productively, and crea...

Kate and Ryan are joined by special guest Erin Mullens for a lively, honest conversation about the real world of Scrum Mastery. They explore how each of them found their way into the role, what truly energizes them about the job, and the frustr...

Live from the buzz of Agile2025, Kate Megaw, Anu Smalley, and Ryan Smith dive into the energy, insights, and shake-ups that had everyone talking. From the groundbreaking PMI–Agile Alliance partnership, to embracing AI as your co-conspirator, to...

Trust isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s the foundation of every high-performing team. In this episode, we explore why trust and reliability are inseparable—and how leaders can intentionally build both.  From creating psychological safety to ...

What does it truly mean to lead a team—without being “the boss”?  In this episode, we explore the Team Leadership domain of the Leadership Growth Wheel, diving into three essential skills: engagement, delegation with accountability, and em...

In this episode, we explore what it means to truly know where you're headed—and why you're heading there. From career shifts to personal crossroads, many of us operate on autopilot, doing what's needed instead of asking what we truly want. Join...

Agility isn’t just for software teams—it’s a way of thinking, leading, and living. In this heartfelt and insightful episode, we explore real-world lessons in agility from parenting to project management, from sticky notes to strategic pivots.

In this episode, Kate and Ryan unpack the real Scrum Master’s toolkit—and it’s not just post-it notes and Sharpies.  From mindset and agile knowledge to powerful facilitation techniques, they explore what it truly takes to lead effective t...