Arguing Agile

Brian Orlando

We're arguing about agile so that you don't have to! We seek to prepare you to deal with real-life business agility challenges by demonstrating both sides of the real arguments you will encounter in your work and career.Arguing Agile is hosted by seasoned professionals who explore experience from their careers, share stories, and suggest advice to other professionals. We do these things while maintaining an unbiased position from any financial interest.

  1. AA248 - Expertise Overreach: Why Being Right ONCE Makes Leaders Think They're Right About EVERYTHING

    1D AGO

    AA248 - Expertise Overreach: Why Being Right ONCE Makes Leaders Think They're Right About EVERYTHING

    Your boss's biggest career win might be setting them up for their biggest failure. 🚨 Listen or watch as hosts Brian Orlando and Om Patel tackle a phenomenon that's rampant in tech but rarely named: Expertise Overreach: when someone's success in one narrow domain inflates their confidence across every domain, with devastating consequences for teams, roadmaps, and the entire organization. In this episode, we're diving deep into the murky pool of psychology, neuroscience, and organizational dynamics behind why overconfident leaders derail teams (and how you can protect yourself). 🔑 Key Topics Include: 1. Why Being "Really" Right Once Can Be Dangerous 2. How Power Literally Changes Your Brain (a quick recap) 3. What Happens Inside the Yes-Men Factory 4. How Tech's Hero Worship Problem Makes It All Worse 5. Tips for Protecting Your Team and Your Sanity This episode helps with practical strategies for dealing with overconfident "leaders," so please 👉 share this with a colleague who you know might need to hear it! #ProductManagement #Leadership #AgileCoaching Moore & Healy 2008 - The Trouble with Overconfidence (Psychological Review), Power Changes How the Brain Responds to Others 2014 (Journal of Experimental Psychology), Westfall & Bednar 2005 - Pluralistic Ignorance in Corporate Boards (Administrative Science Quarterly), Arguing Agile Episode #243: How Corporate Turns Good People Bad, Steve Jobs (hire smart people to tell us what to do), Amazon's Disagree and Commit principle LINKS YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@arguingagile Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/362QvYORmtZRKAeTAE57v3 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agile-podcast/id1568557596 INTRO MUSIC Toronto Is My Beat By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181) CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

    47 min
  2. AA247 - AI is a Poor Team-Player: Stanford's CooperBench Experiment

    FEB 4

    AA247 - AI is a Poor Team-Player: Stanford's CooperBench Experiment

    AI agents failed spectacularly at teamwork, performing ~50% worse than one solo agent! This week, we're discussing Stanford’s CooperBench study (a benchmark, testing whether AI agents can collaborate on real coding tasks across Python, TypeScript, Go, and Rust) and why AI-developer coordination collapses, even with a constant chat. Listen or watch as Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Consultant Om Patel dig into the methods and findings of Stanford’s 2026 CooperBench experiment and learn about the three capability gaps that caused these failures:  • Expectation Failures (42%): Agents ignored shared plans or misunderstood scope • Commitment Failures (32%): Promised work was never completed • Communication Failures (26%): Silence, spam, or hallucinations The experiment's findings seem to confirm human-refined agile practices. The episode ends with a concrete call to action: stop treating AI as teammates. Use them as solo contributors. And if you must coordinate? Build working agreements, not handoffs. This episode is for anyone navigating the AI hype cycle and wondering if swarms of agents are going to coordinate everyone out of a job! #Agile #AI #ProductManagement SOURCE CooperBench: Benchmarking AI Agents' Cooperation (Stanford University & SAP Labs US) https://cooperbench.com/ https://cooperbench.com/static/pdfs/main.pdf LINKS YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@arguingagile Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/362QvYORmtZRKAeTAE57v3 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agile-podcast/id1568557596 INTRO MUSIC Toronto Is My Beat By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181) CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

    51 min
  3. AA246 - The Spotify Model: The Viral Org Design That NEVER Existed

    JAN 28

    AA246 - The Spotify Model: The Viral Org Design That NEVER Existed

    Spotify never used the Spotify Model - and neither should you.  In this $2 billion episode, Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Consultant Om Patel take a cutting torch to one of big-A-Agile's most beloved organizational myths - the Spotify Model! We're doing invasive surgery to see what's inside beyond the over-hyped squads, tribes, chapters, and guilds that have been copied by companies the world over.  ...but what if we found out that the inside was hollow?  What if we found out that the Spotify Model was never even live and tested by Spotify? 🔥 LISTEN OR WATCH AS WE DISCUSS • Why Spotify Insiders call the model "aspirational and never fully implemented" • Why the model had little or no relation to Spotify's success • How survivorship bias tricks us into studying only "winners" • The four critical failures of the Spotify Model 💡 DON'T WANT TO WAIT FOR TAKEAWAYS? OK, no problem, but before adopting ANY organizational model, ask: 1. Is this documented practice or just aspiration? 2. Has the source company evolved past this model? 3. What's the original author's current position on its effectiveness? Please follow the podcast if you'd like us to do more myth-busting content about organizational design fads from 2015! #Transformation #SpotifyModel LINKS YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@arguingagile Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/362QvYORmtZRKAeTAE57v3 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agile-podcast/id1568557596 INTRO MUSIC Toronto Is My Beat By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181) CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

    55 min
  4. AA245 - Legacy Code: Why Big Rewrites Fail (And What Actually Works)

    JAN 22

    AA245 - Legacy Code: Why Big Rewrites Fail (And What Actually Works)

    Legacy systems work. So why do companies waste millions rewriting them?  In this episode of Arguing Agile, Product Manager Nisha Patel joins Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Consultant Om Patel for a debate on the dangerous obsession with rewriting legacy systems — from COBOL to green screens — that still power ATMs, government systems, and Fortune 500 billing engines.  Watch or listen as we discuss the myth that "modern" equals "better" and reveal how most rewrites fail because they ignore customer value, edge cases, and real ROI as well as other topics, such as: How Chesterton’s Fence applies to code (Brian still doesn't know)How Developers kill software with Resume-Driven Development (RDD)How Finance kills software with spreadsheet-driven development (SDD)Why chasing "parity" kills innovationRisk Mitigation, or, framing technical debt in business termsIf you've ever worked on or tried to replace legacy systems, this episode will either give you nightmares, or help how you approach legacy systems while helping you also stop burning budget on vanity projects. #LegacyCode #ProductManagement #AgileCoaching REFERENCES AA148 - An Introduction to Software Development Finances LINKS YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@arguingagile Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/362QvYORmtZRKAeTAE57v3 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agile-podcast/id1568557596 INTRO MUSIC Toronto Is My Beat By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181) CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

    1h 4m
  5. AA244 - Why Your Meetings SUCK (And How to Fix Them) | Patrick Lencioni: Death by Meeting

    JAN 14

    AA244 - Why Your Meetings SUCK (And How to Fix Them) | Patrick Lencioni: Death by Meeting

    Your meetings aren't boring because there are too many; they're boring because they lack drama, structure, and purpose! That's the claim made by Patrick Lencioni's book: Death by Meeting (2004)! Watch or listen as Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Consultant Om Patel use this book as a guide to discuss why most workplace meetings fail and how to transform them into productive, engaging sessions that people actually want to attend. 🔥 KEY TOPICS COVERED: • The 3 Fatal Flaws That Kill Your Meetings • Lencioni's 4 Meeting Framework • Why "one comprehensive meeting" fails everyone equally • How to audit your recurring meetings (kill the useless ones) • How Lencioni's framework intersects with Scrum Whether you're a product manager or just plain drowning in calendar bloat, this episode gives you actionable strategies to reclaim your time and run meetings that actually matter! Let us know what you think in the comments... and what meetings you'd kill if you could!?! #MeetingManagement #AgileCoaching #ProductManagement Death by Meeting by Patrick Lencioni, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni, Arguing Agile Episode 217: Extreme Ownership - Military Leadership Lessons for Professionals, A Few Good Men (film), Raiders of the Lost Ark (film), Scrum Framework, SAFe PI Planning, The Real World (MTV show) LINKS YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@arguingagile Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/362QvYORmtZRKAeTAE57v3 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agile-podcast/id1568557596 https://arguingagile.com/ INTRO MUSIC Toronto Is My Beat By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181) CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

    53 min
  6. AA243 - How Corporate Turns Good People Bad: The Neuroscience of Power Corruption

    JAN 1

    AA243 - How Corporate Turns Good People Bad: The Neuroscience of Power Corruption

    Does getting promoted literally rewire your brain to lose empathy?  The science says YES. 🧠 In this research-backed episode of Arguing Agile, Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Consultant Om Patel examine the unsettling neuroscience behind why your favorite coworker turned into a corporate tyrant after their last promotion.  Drawing from peer-reviewed studies in the Journal of Experimental Psychology and Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, watch or listen as we explore three mechanisms that erode empathy in leadership positions (and talk through how to evade entropy). 🔬 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: • How power physically changes your brain chemistry and reduces your ability to read emotions • Why narcissistic individuals rise faster through corporate ranks (and how to spot them) • How socioeconomic class divides create empathy blind spots in leaders • Practical guardrails to maintain your integrity as you advance Whether you're a product manager, agile coach, or aspiring leader, this episode will help you recognize the warning signs of empathy erosion in yourself and others... before it's too late! Have you watched someone change after a promotion? Let us know! RESEARCH: • "Power Changes How the Brain Responds to Others" (Journal of Experimental Psychology, 2014) • "Social Class, Contextualism, and Empathic Accuracy" (2010) • Prosocial orientation and power amplification studies (JPSP, 2011) #Leadership #CorporateCulture #WorkplacePsychology Journal of Experimental Psychology (2014) - Power Changes How the Brain Responds to Others, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (2011) - Prosocial Orientation and Power Study, Social Class Contextualism and Empathic Accuracy (2010), Hittner & Haase (2021) - Empathic Accuracy and SES Study, Management 3.0 - 360 Reviews, Good to Great by Jim Collins (implied - wrong people wrong seats metaphor), Die Hard (film reference), Elon Musk Twitter/X takeover, Sheryl Sandberg (referenced), Glassdoor LINKS YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@arguingagile Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/362QvYORmtZRKAeTAE57v3 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agile-podcast/id1568557596 Website: https://arguingagile.com/ INTRO MUSIC Toronto Is My Beat By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181) CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

    49 min
  7. AA242 - Move Fast & Break Things: The Dark Side of Silicon Valley's Favorite Mantra

    12/24/2025

    AA242 - Move Fast & Break Things: The Dark Side of Silicon Valley's Favorite Mantra

    Is 'Move Fast & Break Things' just permission to be reckless? Join Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Consultant Om Patel as they examine Mark Zuckerberg's (in)famous mantra and reveal how it may have metastasized from breaking code to breaking laws, teams, and even contributing to real human harm. Watch or listen as we explore the critical dimensions of this philosophy, including: BREAKING SOFTWARE: How the original meaning of 'break things' (emphasizing first-mover advantage) evolved from rapid iteration of code to justifying regulatory evasion and monopolistic behavior.BREAKING TEAMS: Using Harvard research that shows 'always-on' cultures decrease productivity by 20% and spike turnover to discuss how intensity without recovery is just exploitation (and what to do instead).BREAKING PEOPLE: Discussing the human costs of unchecked speed, from Facebook's alleged role in the Myanmar genocide to Uber's systemic harassment culture to Theranos's fraud.LEARNING OVER SPEED: We discuss Eric Ries's seminal work: The Lean Startup and how it went out of it's way to emphasize learning velocity over shipping velocity. WRONG (we guess)!PUSHING BACK (WITHOUT GETTING FIRED): We brainstorm for frameworks to use for challenging speed-obsessed leadership, including trade-off and discuss real-world experiences.Whether you're running a business, a product manager, or a team member just trying to keep up, this episode arms you with arguments and frameworks to advocate for ethical innovation. What's your take on 'move fast' culture? Have you seen it more of a positive or negative? #ProductManagement #TechEthics #AgileLeadership REFERENCES Move Fast and Break Things by Jonathan Taplin (2017), Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power Greed and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn Williams, The Lean Startup by Eric Ries (2011), The Fearless Organization by Amy Edmondson (2018), Susan Fowler's blog 'Reflecting on One Very Very Strange Year at Uber' (February 2017), UN Human Rights Council 2018 report on Facebook and Myanmar, Harvard Business School research on always-on cultures (2009), Agile Podcast E22 - Interview with a Scrum Trainer: Fred Mastropasqua (August 2021), Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink, The Social Network (film, 2010) LINKS YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@arguingagile Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/362QvYORmtZRKAeTAE57v3 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agile-podcast/id1568557596 Website: https://arguingagile.com/ INTRO MUSIC Toronto Is My Beat By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181) CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

    47 min
  8. AA241 - Product Risk: How Assumptions Kill Your Product (and Your Company, Eventually)

    12/17/2025

    AA241 - Product Risk: How Assumptions Kill Your Product (and Your Company, Eventually)

    Stop wasting time building the wrong thing faster! In this episode of Arguing Agile, Product Manager: Brian Orlando and Business Agility Coach to THE STARS: Om Patel respond to yet another listener question, discussing Product Risk Analysis in agile environments!  Listen or watch as they challenge the common misconception that analyzing risks upfront is "waterfall" and reveal why ignoring product risks until you've burned three sprints is how teams end up building features nobody wants. Stick around while the hosts break down Marty Cagan's four critical product risks (Valuable, Usable, Feasible, and Business-Viable) but stick around for the conversation on why most teams focus on execution risks while the real product killers are hiding in plain sight! The topics covered are: - Difference between product risks and execution risks - Why traditional risk registers are theater - "Speed-to-death" prioritization for testing assumptions - Handling team skill gaps as feasibility risks - Aligning stakeholders who fixate on the wrong risks - Why business viability (pricing, unit economics) is the most ignored yet most dangerous risk This episode is great for product managers, agile coaches, and team members who want to stop building things people don't want. #ProductManagement #Agile #RiskAnalysis REFERENCES "Marty Cagan - Inspired", "Melissa Perri - Escaping the Build Trap", "Teresa Torres - Continuous Discovery Habits", "David Marquet - Turn the Ship Around", "Product School blog", "Eric Reis - The Lean Startup" LINKS YouTube Website Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/362QvYORmtZRKAeTAE57v3 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agile-podcast/id1568557596 INTRO MUSIC Toronto Is My Beat By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181) CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

    53 min
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About

We're arguing about agile so that you don't have to! We seek to prepare you to deal with real-life business agility challenges by demonstrating both sides of the real arguments you will encounter in your work and career.Arguing Agile is hosted by seasoned professionals who explore experience from their careers, share stories, and suggest advice to other professionals. We do these things while maintaining an unbiased position from any financial interest.

Information

  • Creator
    Brian Orlando
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    248
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Arguing Agile
  • Show Website
    Arguing Agile