#168: Gratitude, Growth, and the Power to Evolve with Brian Milner

#168: Gratitude, Growth, and the Power to Evolve with Brian Milner

Author: Mountain Goat Software November 26, 2025 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, and invites you to join him in a quick pause before the final sprint of 2025. Overview In this special solo episode, Brian Milner pauses to reflect on what he's most grateful for this year—and invites you to do the same. From a renewed focus on the human side of agility to the evolving nature of our roles as leaders and practitioners, this heartfelt message is a reminder that change isn’t just necessary—it’s powerful. Brian also shares his appreciation for the Mountain Goat Software team and a behind-the-scenes shoutout to Agile Mentors’ own Laura Kendrick for making the show possible. Short, sweet, and soul-centered, it’s a moment to breathe, acknowledge growth, and say thanks before we sprint toward the end of the year. References and resources mentioned in the show: Five Lessons I’m Thankful I Learned in my Agile Career by Mike Cohn #123: Unlocking Team Intelligence with Linda Rising #125: Embracing Gratitude in Challenging Times with Brian Milner #134: How Leaders Can Reduce Burnout and Boost Performance with Marcus Lagré 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: Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work.

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…
#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…
#159:  Is Scrum Really Too Many Meetings? with Lance Dacy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:09
“Too many meetings” is one of the most common complaints in Scrum teams, but is it really the meetings, or what’s (not) happening in them? In this episode, Brian and Lance Dacy dig into the events of Scrum to uncover wha…