In this conversation, Jim Sammons and Rich Visotcky discuss various aspects of team dynamics, particularly focusing on Scrum Masters and the importance of engagement and interest in work. We explore the expectations placed on Scrum Masters, the significance of caring about the work being done, and how to navigate conflicts within teams around their work, tool choice, communication patterns, and more.

Key highlights include:

• Interest in work drives better performance and outcomes.
• Navigating conflict requires understanding the context.
• Caring about the work leads to better results.
• Frustrations in work often stem from organizational decisions.
• Shifting mindsets from tool dependency to problem-solving is crucial.
• Different teams require different types of support and skills.

Chapters

00:00 Intro

00:16 Should Scrum Masters Be Interested?

01:23 Do Process People Need to Grasp The Backlog?

04:48 Do Care and Interest Go Hand in Hand?

08:14 Marker 4

08:14 Did the Creators of Agility Expect People to Care?

10:56 Do You Need to Know How the Sausage is Made?

13:41 The Legend of "Json the Troublemaker"

18:25 It's Not Them, It's You

21:39 The Way of Working

26:30 What Gets You Riled Up?

29:49 It Makes Sense, and it Makes Me Angry

34:52 The "User" Will See You Now

37:03 What Riles Rich Up?

42:35 Part of the Solution?

46:29 On the Next Episode...

Connect with Product Fields:

📢 Follow the podcast for more inspiring stories
💬 Join the conversation on LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/mastering-agility

📩 Contact us for trades or sponsorships

👉 If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review and share it with someone who needs to hear it!

Connect with our hosts:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamessammons/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/richvisotcky/

Check out our sponsors:

https://www.xebia.com

https://www.wiserbees.com

https://www.jointinsights.com

https://www.productfields.com

Gil Broza joins our hosts, Jim Sammons and Rich Visotcky, for the first episode of the Product Fields podcast in 2026! In this conversation, we discuss the evolving landscape of agility and product management in the age of AI. Together, we explore how AI has transformed product delivery, the importance of accountability, and the need for leaders to adapt their strategies to ensure effective team dynamics. Too often, we have seen companies go full-on into AI without any strategy or understanding of the consequences. Through our discussion, we dive into the balance between leveraging AI for efficiency while maintaining critical thinking and human oversight, and the need for a thoughtful approach to integrating AI into work processes.

00:00:00 Intro

00:02:04 Agility Beyond Tech: Adapting Principles for Non-Tech Teams

00:03:44 The Relevance of the Agile Manifesto, Values, and Principles

00:08:44 AI's Impact on Product Delivery and Management

00:12:15 Going Back to Principles in the Age of AI

00:16:52 Accountability in the Age of AI

00:28:03 The AI Industrial Revolution: Trust and Human Connection

00:33:58 The Atrophy of Skills in the Age of AI

00:35:07 The Impact of AI on Communication and Authenticity

00:45:38 The Dangers of Over-Reliance on AI

00:47:27 Fundamentals in the Age of AI

00:50:45 The Danger of Agency and AI

00:53:01 The Future of Work and AI Integration

00:57:46 Quantity vs. Impact

01:01:20 Closing

Connect with Product Fields:

📢 Follow the podcast for more inspiring stories
💬 Join the conversation on LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/company/mastering-agility
📩 Contact us for trades or sponsorships

👉 If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review and share it with someone who needs to hear it!

Connect with our guests:

Gil Broza: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gilbroza

Subscribe to Gil’s newsletter: https://3pvantage.com/subscribe-newsletter/

Attend Gil’s course, “Leading AI-Enabled Product Teams”: https://3pvantage.com/leapt/

Check out our sponsors:

https://www.xebia.com

https://www.wiserbees.com

https://www.jointinsights.com

https://www.productfields.com

Join hosts Rich Visotcky and Jim Sammons as they delve deep into the agile mindset and its significance in team dynamics from a research-backed perspective. Joining them in this episode are Dr. Karen Eilers and Christiaan Verwijs who are leading studies exploring the agile mindset from the individual and team level. Through their research and the help of Columinity, they describe how to factors like motivation, morale, collaborative exchange, value focus, and management support improve team effectiveness. Together, we discuss the development of reliable measurement scales, the importance of data in understanding team effectiveness in order to take action, and the challenges of selection bias and trust in survey data. We also dip our toes into the pools of dynamic reteaming and its effects on team cohesion and team outcomes.

Whether you’re a manager looking to help your teams hit their stride, a team member trying to understand how to improve yourself to improve those around you, or a research and data junkie curious about people and teams, this episode has you covered!

Want to learn more about your team and the research?

Participate (and get immediate actionable feedback!): https://questionnaire.columinity.com/setup/model/agilemindset

Preliminary findings: https://blog.columinity.com/how-a-team-level-agile-mindset-shapes-team-effectiveness/

Scientific paper on Agile Mindset: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040162522001822

Contact Columinity: https://columinity.com/research

Connect with our guests:

Karen Eilers: linkedin.com/in/dr-karen-eilers/

Christiaan Verwijs: linkedin.com/in/christiaanverwijs/

Connect with Mastering Agility:

📢 Follow the podcast for more inspiring stories
💬 Join the conversation on LinkedIn - linkedin.com/company/mastering-agility
📩 Contact us for trades or sponsorships

👉 If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review and share it with someone who needs to hear it!

Check out our sponsors:

www.xebia.com

www.wiserbees.com

www.jointinsights.com

www.productfields.com

Find more at www.masteringagility.org

Summary

The conversation explores various aspects of pricing strategies, including benefits framing, pricing orientations, value-based pricing, and the challenges associated with it. The importance of regularly reviewing pricing and making incremental changes is emphasized. The fear of pricing conversations and risk mitigation strategies are discussed. The emotional relationship with money and its impact on pricing decisions is explored. The chapter concludes with a discussion on bundling price increases with value increases. The conversation explores the topics of costs, value, different business models, adjusting pricing based on value, defining value, and getting started with pricing strategy. It also touches on the concept of overpriced products.

Takeaways

• Regularly review and update pricing strategies to align with market changes and customer value.

• Consider benefits framing and value-based pricing to effectively communicate the value of products or services.

• Understand the emotional relationship customers have with money and the impact it has on pricing decisions.

• Mitigate risks associated with pricing changes by conducting market research, testing, and communicating effectively with customers. Consider the costs and value of your product or service when determining pricing.

• Different business models, such as razor and razor blades, can impact pricing strategies.

• Adjust pricing based on the value customers receive from your product or service.

• Define value by understanding the functional, emotional, and social jobs your product or service fulfills.

• Start thinking about your pricing strategy early in your company's development and treat it as an ongoing process.

• Perceived value plays a significant role in customers' willingness to pay.

• Be mindful of unexpected fees and their impact on customers' perception of value.

• The most overpriced products can vary based on individual perspectives and preferences.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Summary

In this conversation, Becky Savill discusses her recently launched book and the importance of workplace learning for humans. She shares her experience of unpacking the physical copy of her book and the pride she felt in achieving this milestone. Becky emphasizes the need for self-directed learning and the limitations of traditional learning approaches. She also discusses her career transition from audio engineer to scrum master and the skills she gained from her previous profession. The conversation highlights the importance of creating space for learning in organizations and the cultural shift needed to prioritize learning investments. The conversation explores the importance of seeking diverse perspectives and learning from others. It emphasizes the value of being the smartest person in the room and the benefits of expanding perspectives beyond the agile field. The discussion also touches on the experience of writing a book as a couple and provides advice for personal growth and development.

Takeaways

• Self-directed learning is more effective and engaging than traditional approaches.

• Creating space and a culture that supports learning is essential for individual and organizational growth.

• Learning communities, such as communities of practice, provide valuable opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing.

• Balancing structure and flexibility in learning approaches allows for individual preferences and needs to be met.

• Investing in learning and development is crucial for attracting and retaining top talent in organizations. Seek opportunities to be the smartest person in the room and help others, but also gravitate towards rooms where you can learn from experienced individuals.

• Expand your perspectives beyond the agile field and seek agility outside of agility.

• Collaborating on a project with your partner can be a rewarding experience that strengthens your relationship.

• Be curious and ask open-ended questions to learn from others and seek diverse perspectives.

• Don't overthink and be brave in pursuing your goals and seeking feedback.

  
  

  If you like our podcast, please leave us a review. This helps us to grow the show and bring in even bigger guests.

Sponsors:
ScrumMatch: https://scrummatch.com/en
Xebia Academy: https://xebia.com/academy/nl/

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

For questions or requests that you would like us to check on, please drop a message on LinkedIn or join the Mastering Agility Discord community!

Participate as an audience member
Mastering Agility Mural

Tricia Broderick

Are you struggling to lead your teams toward success during these chaotic times?

Tricia Broderick, co-author of Lead without Blame, focuses on this specific challenge. She is a leadership and organizational advisor. With over twenty-five years of experience, her transformational leadership ignites the growth of leaders and teams to deliver quality outcomes. Tricia boldly role models putting people first. Her aim is to create inclusive connections and collaborations that challenge and support people in an authentic, vulnerable, and engaging way. She is a highly-rated trainer, coach, facilitator, and motivational keynote speaker.

In 2022, she co-authored with Diana Larsen, Lead without Blame. A detailed framework for leaders to move past outdated workplace blame and shame strategies to cultivate resilient teams capable of facing adversity and setbacks confidently.

Sander Dur

Sander Dur is a Professional Scrum Trainer at Scrum.org, podcast host of Mastering Agility, Professional Scrum Master and Lead Agile Consultant, and trainer at Xebia. Besides this, he's an avid writer for predominantly Serious Scrum on Medium.com. Sander has a major passion for the human side in complex domains. Ensuring a high level of psychological safety, therefore, is a critical part of his work. Organizations in complex domains can only survive when innovating. Innovation can only take place with the right balance between low social friction and high intellectual friction. While most organizations now understand how to apply Agile frameworks, they struggle with the delivery of value. Psychological safety is the next step in this evolution and Sander has a huge drive to help organizations reach that step.

Sander is enthusiastic, open-minded, and ambitious. He finds interpersonal relationships and intrinsic motivations very important in team dynamics. Besides his work, Sander loves to spend time with his family, enjoys sports and eating healthy, barbecuing, riding his motorcycle, and traveling.

Jim Sammons

My passion is helping people to:

• Do more of the right work (and less of the wrong work).
• Create more actual teams than just groups of people who work together.
• Learning how to improve themselves, their team, and their organization incrementally.
• Understand that less, not more, is usually part of the answer to some of the hardest questions we all face.
• See their workplaces, teams, and their sphere of influence as something that is evolving, which requires an evolution of all of its parts to adapt.

Throughout my career, I have worked with clients of all sizes, industries, and technologies. Whether it’s leading a transformative strategy at a Fortune 100 or helping a new startup understand its unique value proposition the common focus I bring to each role is “making people better.”

Contact us at:

Masteringagility.org
https://xebia.com/academy/nl/trainers/sander-dur

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamessammons/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanderdur/

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

SummaryIn this conversation, Jim and Sander discuss their holiday plans and reflect on the highlights of the podcast in 2023. They also share their dream guests for future episodes and discuss the importance of understanding root causes in problem-solving. They explore how Scrum Masters can help teams become more effective and the need to build environments for product success. They also discuss the challenges of avoiding reactive approaches and the importance of continuous improvement. Finally, they discuss the importance of recognizing blind spots and areas for improvement. In this conversation, Jim and Sander discuss various topics related to their professional lives and personal preferences. They explore the balance between quality and satisfaction, the importance of professional emotional regulation, and the need to bury unwanted concepts. They also touch on the issue of hate and ad hominem attacks on social media and the value of constructive feedback. The conversation concludes with a discussion about the misuse of the Shu-Ha-Ri model and the joy of holiday food traditions.

Takeaways

• Reflecting on the highlights of the past year can provide valuable insights and learning opportunities.

• Understanding root causes is important for effective problem-solving and preventing recurring issues.

• Scrum Masters can have a wider impact by building their skills and focusing on continuous improvement.

• Creating environments for product success is crucial for long-term value creation.

• Avoiding reactive approaches and focusing on proactive measures can lead to better outcomes.

• Recognizing blind spots and areas for improvement is essential for personal and professional growth. Balancing quality and satisfaction is important in professional work.

• Professional emotional regulation is crucial for maintaining composure and being a calming influence.

• It's okay to have strengths and weaknesses, and not everyone has to be good at everything.

• Unwanted concepts and practices should be buried to make room for more effective approaches.

• Hate and ad hominem attacks on social media should be replaced with constructive feedback.

• Being candid is important, but it's essential to avoid being an asshole.

• Teaching should be focused on practical application rather than just theoretical knowledge.

• Being a little like Mr. Miyagi and withholding certain information can be beneficial in facilitating learning.

• Helping others should not be driven by selfish motives.

• Identifying as a teacher or educator depends on the specific context and knowledge.

• Food and holiday traditions bring joy and create memorable experiences.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

For questions or requests that you would like us to check on, please drop a message on LinkedIn or join the Mastering Agility Discord community!

Participate as an audience member
Mastering Agility Mural
Mastering Agility merch

Sander Dur

Sander Dur is a Professional Scrum Trainer at Scrum.org, podcast host of Mastering Agility, Professional Scrum Master and Lead Agile Consultant, and trainer at Xebia. Besides this, he's an avid writer for predominantly Serious Scrum on Medium.com. Sander has a major passion for the human side in complex domains. Ensuring a high level of psychological safety, therefore, is a critical part of his work. Organizations in complex domains can only survive when innovating. Innovation can only take place with the right balance between low social friction and high intellectual friction. While most organizations now understand how to apply Agile frameworks, they struggle with the delivery of value. Psychological safety is the next step in this evolution and Sander has a huge drive to help organizations reach that step.

Sander is enthusiastic, open-minded, and ambitious. He finds interpersonal relationships and intrinsic motivations very important in team dynamics. Besides his work, Sander loves to spend time with his family, enjoys sports and eating healthy, barbecuing, riding his motorcycle, and traveling.

Jim Sammons

My passion is helping people to:

• Do more of the right work (and less of the wrong work).
• Create more actual teams than just groups of people who work together.
• Learning how to improve themselves, their team, and their organization incrementally.
• Understand that less, not more, is usually part of the answer to some of the hardest questions we all face.
• See their workplaces, teams, and their sphere of influence as something that is evolving, which requires an evolution of all of its parts to adapt.

Throughout my career, I have worked with clients of all sizes, industries, and technologies. Whether it’s leading a transformative strategy at a Fortune 100 or helping a new startup understand its unique value proposition the common focus I bring to each role is “making people better.”

Contact us at:

Masteringagility.org
https://xebia.com/academy/nl/trainers/sander-dur

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamessammons/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanderdur/

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.