#101: Fostering Sustainable Change with Leor Herzfeld

#101: Fostering Sustainable Change with Leor Herzfeld

Author: Mountain Goat Software June 5, 2024 Duration: 31:06
Join Brian as he discusses the crucial elements of sustainable agility with Leor Herzfeld, Agile Coach and CEO of Integral Agile. Dive into the human side of sustainability and discover the 14 dimensions essential for creating a culture that truly engages. Overview In this episode of the Agile Mentors Podcast, Brian Milner sits down with Leor Herzfeld to unpack the concept of sustainable agility from a deeply human perspective. They explore why external changes often fail and how a focus on individual health—encompassing safety, autonomy, mastery, purpose, and accountability—can lead to genuine, lasting transformation within organizations. Leor shares practical tools for leaders looking to foster an environment that supports continuous agile practices and nurtures employee engagement. Listen in as they discuss how to achieve a resilient and thriving workplace. Listen Now to Discover: [1:01] - Join Brian as he explores the vital role of sustainability in Agile methodologies with expert guest, CEO of Integral Agile and author of the upcoming book Reimagine Transformation, Leor Herzfeld. [2:09] - Leor delves into the meaning of human sustainability, explaining its significance and impact. [4:33] - Brian discusses the inherent resistance to change, noting that even positive transformations require adjustments. [5:22] - Leor poses the shift from thinking about only the holistic, healthy Agile culture and team to focusing on a healthy individual. [7:14] - Brian and Leor explore what sustainability and sustainable pace practices entail in real-world scenarios. [10:03] - Leor examines the reasons behind employees' lack of engagement in their organizations and work environments. [11:49] - Leor discusses 14 key aspects of individual health that are essential for creating a sustainable and healthy environment at both individual and organizational levels. [14:03] - Leor shares a tool to assess the Agile health of your team or organization. [14:53] - Enhance your team's performance with Mountain Goat Software’s specialized private training, including exclusive classes for leaders that accommodate their busy schedules. Dive into training that promises to elevate your team and organizational health, ensuring success across the board. You can email the Mountain Goat Software team for detailed information. [16:43] - Leor shares how he measures the sustainability and health of the teams and organizations he works with. [18:46] - Brian highlights a frequent issue encountered in classes: Agile teams feeling unsupported by their organization's culture. [22:27] - Leor delves into the evolving landscape of the Agile world, exploring how shifts can foster greater organizational support and, thereby, sustainable environments. [28:58] - Brian shares a big thank you to Leor for joining him on the show. [29:52] - If you’d like to continue this discussion, join the Agile Mentors Community. You get a year of free membership into that site by taking any class with Mountain Goat Software, where we get right into the good stuff and have some deep discussions. We'd love to see you in one of Mountain Goat Software's classes. You can find the schedule here. [30:17] - We invite you to subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast. If you have feedback or a great idea for an episode of the show, send us an email. We can’t wait to hear! References and resources mentioned in the show: Leor Herzfeld Integral Agile Integral Agile Health and Happiness Assessment Reimagine Transformation by Leor Herzfeld, David Hersey, Ben Williams, and Julio Pizarro Organizational Transformation: A Case Study For Creating A Cross-Functional Team Of Teams (Art) Aligned To A Value Stream Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us by Daniel Pink Agile For Leaders Mountain Goat Software’s Private Training Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast Mountain Goat Software Certified Scrum and Agile Training Schedule Join the Agile Mentors Community Want to get involved?

Hosted by Mountain Goat Software, the Agile Mentors Podcast is a conversation for anyone involved in or curious about agile practices. It’s a space where the philosophy meets the practical, moving beyond theory to tackle the real-world challenges teams face every day. You’ll hear discussions that dig into the nuances of Scrum, Kanban, and other frameworks, exploring how they adapt to different environments and scale. The dialogue often focuses on the human side of change-how to foster better collaboration, navigate organizational hurdles, and cultivate a genuinely agile mindset rather than just going through the motions. This podcast serves as a resource for continuous learning, whether you're troubleshooting a specific sprint issue or looking for fresh perspectives to reinvigorate your approach. Each episode aims to provide actionable insights and thoughtful reflection, making the complex landscape of modern software development feel more accessible and manageable. Tune in for honest talk from experienced practitioners who understand that agility is a journey, not a destination.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Agile Mentors Podcast from Mountain Goat Software
Podcast Episodes
#179: Leadership Decisions That Quietly Derail Agile with Mike Cohn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:35
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 m…
#178: How AI Is Actually Changing Software Teams with Hunter Hillegas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:24
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 sh…
#177: The 5 Habits of High Learning Teams with Lance Dacy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:45
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 g…
#176: Why Most Product Organizations Struggle with Jason Knight [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:42
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—an…
#175: When AI Makes Agile Teams Worse with Hunter Hillegas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:32
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 communi…
#174: Why Estimating Still Matters with Mike Cohn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:14
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 tu…
#173: Hiring for Agile Roles That Actually Work with Cort Sharp [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:28
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 O…
#172: The Five Pillars of Agile Transformation with Mike Cohn [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:30
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 momentu…
#171: Why Agile Teams Succeed—or Don’t with Colin Fisher [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:02
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 abo…
#170: Leadership Lessons from the Marine Corps with Tanner Wortham [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:11
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 prior…