#145: How to Lead Without Burning Out (or Burning Bridges) with Ginger Boyll

#145: How to Lead Without Burning Out (or Burning Bridges) with Ginger Boyll

Author: Mountain Goat Software May 7, 2025 Duration: 41:30
How do you grow a remote-first team from 30 to over 100 while still being voted a "great place to work"? Ginger Boyll says it’s part Agile mindset, part trust, and part Dungeons & Dragons—and we’re not arguing. Overview In this episode of the Agile Mentors Podcast, guest host Scott Dunn sits down with Ginger Boyll, Director of Client Experience at Stable Kernel, for a refreshingly candid conversation about leadership, collaboration, and creating cultures where people thrive, even remotely. From the magic of psychological safety to timesheet woes, CliftonStrengths charts, and the underrated art of letting someone else just do the thing, this episode is a masterclass in how empathy and agility show up far beyond process. References and resources mentioned in the show: Ginger Boyll Stable Kernel The Fearless Organization by Amy Edmonson Range by David Epstein Built to Last by Jim Collins Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier Paul Graham’s Maker’s Schedule, Manager’s Schedule 25 Questions That Will Help You Know Your Teammates Better Join the Agile Mentors Community 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: 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. Ginger Boyll is the Director of Client Experience at Stable Kernel. She is a natural problem-solver with a passion for people, bringing deep experience in Agile delivery, tech strategy, and cross-functional collaboration to every project she touches.

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
#169: Building Practical AI for Agile Teams with Hunter Hillegas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:14
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…
#168: Gratitude, Growth, and the Power to Evolve with Brian Milner [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:21
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, a…
#167: Running Better Remote Meetings with Evan Unger [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:35
Consultant and collaboration expert Evan Unger joins Brian to share practical tactics for leading more engaging, effective meetings that actually get results (and don’t drain everyone’s will to live). Overview In this ep…
#165: Can Your Product Process Keep Up With AI with Cort Sharp [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:09
If AI is speeding up how fast we can ship, what’s slowing teams down now? Brian and returning guest Cort Sharp dig into the emerging friction between AI-assisted development and the still-slow art of product decision-mak…
#164: Why Innovation Efforts Fall Flat with Tendayi Viki [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:23
Tendayi Viki joins Brian to unpack the difference between doing innovation and delivering value, with practical takeaways for product folks, innovation teams, and anyone who wants to stop spinning their wheels. Overview…
#163: Should We Go Back to the Office? It Depends. with Lance Dacy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:07
Five years post-COVID, are we any closer to knowing what kind of work environment actually works best? Brian and Lance dig into the real drivers behind return-to-office mandates, remote productivity myths, and why "conte…
#161: Test-Driven Development in the Age of AI with Clare Sudbery [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:05
AI might write your code, but can you trust it to do it well? Clare Sudbery says: not without a safety net. In this episode, she explains how test-driven development is evolving in the age of AI, and why developers need…
#160: The Real Work of a Scrum Master with Brian Campbell [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:03
What separates a solid Scrum Master from a great one? In this episode, Brian Milner sits down with veteran Scrum Master Brian Campbell to talk about the balance between being empathetic, staying grounded, and knowing whe…