Arguing Agile

Brian Orlando
  • 5.0 (5)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
Arguing Agile

We're arguing about agile so that you don't have to! We seek to better prepare you to deal with real-life challenges by presenting both sides of the real arguments you will encounter in your professional career.On this podcast, working professionals explore topics and learnings from their experiences and share the stories of Agilists at all stages of their careers. We seek to do so while maintaining an unbiased position from any financial interest.

  1. AA219 - How Private Equity Killed Instant Pot (And Why Your Product Could Be Next)

    4D AGO

    AA219 - How Private Equity Killed Instant Pot (And Why Your Product Could Be Next)

    Instant Pot had $300M+ revenue, passionate users, and $100M cash on hand.  So why did they file for bankruptcy?  The answer lies in the pattern of how private equity systematically destroys beloved products through financial engineering!  In this podcast, Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel examine the acquisition of Instant Brands and discuss how leveraged buyouts, special dividends, and debt loading likely turned a kitchen innovation success story into a cautionary tale for every product team.  Watch or listen to learn:  • Real reasons successful products fail under PE ownership  • Why "professional management" really means cutting the people who built the product • How debt servicing kills innovation budgets • The one question every product manager should ask their CFO  • Why product-led growth can't survive private equity's playbook  This isn't just about Instant Pot - it's about protecting the products and teams you care about from becoming the next casualty of financial engineering. #ProductManagement #PrivateEquity #InstantPot References: New Lawsuit Accuses Private Equity Company of Plundering Assets of Instant Brands; Michael Wolf, Nov 2024; https://thespoon.tech/new-lawsuit-accuses-private-equity-company-of-plundering-assets-of-instant-brands/Arguing Agile #61: AA61 - Experiences in Corporate Buyouts (Mergers & Acquisitions)Arguing Agile #96: AA96 - Stages of Company Decline, or When Companies Hate Their Customers Tags #ProductManagement #InstantPot #ArguingAgile 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: http://arguingagile.com = = = = = = = = = = = = Toronto Is My Beat (Music Sample) By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181) CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

    1h 6m
  2. AA218 - Palantir's Forward Deployed Software Engineer - Revolution or Rebrand?

    JUL 2

    AA218 - Palantir's Forward Deployed Software Engineer - Revolution or Rebrand?

    Today we're examining Palantir's "Forward Deployed Software Engineers" - and separating fact from the hype! Everything old is new again! Move over companies that have been doing this for decades such as SAP, IBM, and countless consulting firms! https://blog.palantir.com/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-palantir-forward-deployed-software-engineer-45ef2de257b1 Listen as we break down Palantir's 2020 blog post about their Forward Deployed Software Engineers (FDSEs) and discover what these engineers actually do versus what the marketing claims... Key topics covered: What FDSEs actually do, day-to-dayHow this compares to traditional consulting rolesThe difference between software configuration and software engineeringWhy embedded customer roles aren't newCareer advice for aspiring technical professionalsIf you're interested in understanding the reality behind tech industry buzzwords, this is your episode! #ProductManagement #SoftwareEngineering #TechCareers #Consulting #Leadership #AgileCoaching LINKS = = = = = = = = = = = = YouTube: https://youtu.be/SGvJK-aruJ8 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/362QvYORmtZRKAeTAE57v3 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agile-podcast/id1568557596 Website: http://arguingagile.com = = = = = = = = = = = = Toronto Is My Beat (Music Sample) By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181) CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

    37 min
  3. AA217 - Extreme Ownership: Military Leadership Lessons for Professionals

    JUN 25

    AA217 - Extreme Ownership: Military Leadership Lessons for Professionals

    Today, we're delivering a not-your-typical-leadership-book review: "Extreme Ownership" by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin! Ed Martin joins hosts Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel for a chapter-by-chapter review of how military leadership principles directly translate to product management, agile coaching, and team development.  The core message?  True leadership isn't about barking orders - it's about taking complete ownership, empowering others, and leading with discipline and humility. Some quotes from our discussion include: • It's not what you preach, it's what you tolerate • If you can run retrospectives people actually want to attend, you've got leadership skills • Communication isn't just part of your job as a product manager - it IS your job • There's no 100% right solution, but leaders must act decisively amid uncertainty Listen to discover the striking parallels between leadership skill and "agile practices" such as decentralized command and the ability to prioritize and execute under pressure. Whether you're leading a development team or coaching organizational transformation, these principles apply. #ExtremeOwnership #Leadership #ProductManagement 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: http://arguingagile.com = = = = = = = = = = = = Toronto Is My Beat (Music Sample) By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181) CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

    1h 33m
  4. AA216 - New Scrum Guide Expansion: Revolutionary Update or Unnecessary Complexity?

    JUN 18

    AA216 - New Scrum Guide Expansion: Revolutionary Update or Unnecessary Complexity?

    The Scrum community is buzzing about a new 55-page expansion to the Scrum Guide. Is this the depth practitioners have been asking for, or is it turning the lightweight framework into bloatware?  In this episode, Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel and Product Manager Brian Orlando critically examine the "DLC" that claims the original guide was "deliberately oversimplified."  We explore new concepts like outcome vs output definitions of done, the "supporters" role, and the inclusion of complex frameworks like Cynefin. Stick around as we debate whether these additions help teams navigate complexity or create more confusion, while highlighting crucial omissions around organizational structure and practical implementation guidance.  #Scrum #Agile #ProductDevelopment = = = = = = = = = = = = LINKS = = = = = = = = = = = =  http://arguingagile.com YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@arguingagile Spotify  https://open.spotify.com/show/362QvYORmtZRKAeTAE57v3 Apple https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agile-podcast/id1568557596 = = = = = = = = = = = = Toronto Is My Beat (Music Sample) By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181) CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

    58 min
  5. AA215 - Why One-on-Ones Still Matter and Why You Should Have Them

    JUN 4

    AA215 - Why One-on-Ones Still Matter and Why You Should Have Them

    Jensen Huang has 60 direct reports and does no 1:1s, so neither should you - right?!?  Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel examine NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang's claim that he champions "radical transparency" and his policy of no one-on-ones.  Join us as we explore what this means for the rest and listen or watch as we agree that one-on-ones should be employee-driven, focused on growth over status updates, and designed to build the trust that actually gets work done, as well as other topics such as: Jensen Huang's leadership philosophy analyzedEmployee-driven vs manager-driven agendas Building trust through private conversationsRemote work and relationship buildingPractical frameworks for better 1:1sWhether you're a product manager, team lead, or individual contributor; whether you own a snappy leather jacket or not, owning your 1:1 agenda is crucial for career development. Now accepting all takes (hot or not) in the comments - do you vote for mass transparency or intimate coaching conversations? #Leadership #OneOnOnes #ArguingAgile LINKS  = = = = = = = = = = = = YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@arguingagile Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/362QvYORmtZRKAeTAE57v3 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agile-podcast/id1568557596 http://arguingagile.com = = = = = = = = = = = = Toronto Is My Beat (Music Sample) By Whitewolf (Source: https://ccmixter.org/files/whitewolf225/60181) CC BY 4.0 DEED (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en)

    43 min
  6. AA214 - Vibe Coding: New Dystopian World or Just Another Tool?

    MAY 28

    AA214 - Vibe Coding: New Dystopian World or Just Another Tool?

    We're talking about either the terrifying or totally mundane new world of "vibe coding" - using AI to generate code without deep technical expertise.  Joining Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel for this podcast, we're happy to welcome back to the podcast Lenar Mukhamadiev, CEO of iDelsoft (https://idelsoft.com)! Listen as we discuss how this trend is changing product development, software engineering careers, and business innovation. Stick around while we argue over resistance, how vibe coding enables faster market testing and many more points, including: Accelerating time-to-market for new ideasEvolving role of professional developersUnderstanding business problems is more valuable than codingEmergence of "product engineers," or notA future where everyone is a software creator#AIinTech #ProductDevelopment #FutureOfWork = = = = = = = = = = = = YouTube Subscribe on YouTube Apple Spotify = = = = = = = = = = = = Toronto Is My Beat (Music Sample) 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
  7. AA213 - Being a Good Engineer Kinda Sucks (Reaction)

    MAY 21

    AA213 - Being a Good Engineer Kinda Sucks (Reaction)

    Do you want to hear a story about stifling growth and creativity through the lens of one developer's personal story? You're in luck!  Join Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel as they watch and react to Theo's YouTube video: "Being a good engineer kinda sucks," April 28, 2025. It's a tale about the tension between excelling at your craft versus navigating organizational politics and dysfunction.  That's right, today, we're talking about themes of career development, team dynamics, and leadership, so feel free to stick around for our thoughts on these and: The sustainability trap of overworking to meet unrealistic expectationsHow organizational politics can punish innovation and excellenceThe importance of product sense vs. documentation-driven developmentFinding and nurturing relationships with like-minded professionals#Leadership #ProductManagement #CareerDevelopment #TechCareers LINKS = = = = = = = = = = = = YouTube Apple Spotify REFERENCES = = = = = = = = = = = = Check Out Theo's Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VuM1GCadt4 ...and his YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@t3dotgg ...and his website: https://t3.gg/ MUSIC = = = = = = = = = = = = Toronto Is My Beat (Music Sample) 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
  8. AA212 - Peak Product Management | Product Competencies

    MAY 14

    AA212 - Peak Product Management | Product Competencies

    Who coaches PMs if Directors or CPOs don't understand how features get built?  ...or don't understand how to build a strategy? Join Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel as we analyze Ravi Mehta's PM competency framework and debate which skills actually matter at each level of product management! #ProductManagement #Leadership #ProductStrategy REFERENCES "How to Become a Peak Product Manager" by Ravi Mehta: https://www.ravi-mehta.com/product-manager-skills/ = = = = = = = = = = = = LINKS  Arguing Agile: http://arguingagile.comYouTube: https://youtu.be/d9byEWuGbBoSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/362QvYORmtZRKAeTAE57v3Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agile-podcast/id1568557596= = = = = = = = = = = = Toronto Is My Beat (Music Sample) 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
See All (219)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

We're arguing about agile so that you don't have to! We seek to better prepare you to deal with real-life challenges by presenting both sides of the real arguments you will encounter in your professional career.On this podcast, working professionals explore topics and learnings from their experiences and share the stories of Agilists at all stages of their careers. We seek to do so while maintaining an unbiased position from any financial interest.

Information

  • Creator
    Brian Orlando
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2025
  • Episodes
    219
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Arguing Agile
  • Show Website
    Arguing Agile

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada