I share what really happens when you build and lead agile teams. Wins and mistakes. Good days and messy ones. Always clear. Always practical. So you can test it with your own team tomorrow.
I wanted to understand why some teams keep learning while others just keep measuring. So I looked at five companies that turned data into real growth. This is what Europe’s strongest agile cultures taught me.
Two people. Two worlds. Aiko works in safety. Jake works in pressure. Both deliver results. Both face limits. This story explores what happens when trust meets ambition and why every team needs to learn when to slow down, speed up and ride the waves together.
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Ownership is not a switch you flip. It’s part of the culture. And culture is more than a slide in a deck or a mural of slogans on the wall. “We take ownership.” “We are transparent.” Looks nice, but it’s empty if no one lives it...
Everyone knows the feeling. Another meeting where people talk for almost an hour and nothing gets decided. The loud ones dominate. The quiet ones stay quiet. At the end you wonder how much work you could have done in that wasted time. But it can be different...
Agile is not just about frameworks, velocity and delivery. More and more it is about the human side. Wellbeing, inclusivity and creating teams that can perform steadily without burning out. In this article I share how innovative companies are putting people first. And why I think that will be the next big success factor in agile.
Rubber ducking 🐤 might sound funny, but it is one of the most effective problem-solving techniques for developers. By simply explaining your challenge out loud, even to a toy duck, you bring structure to your thoughts, uncover mistakes, and often find the solution yourself. Simple, powerful, and surprisingly underused.
Remote leadership is not just office leadership on Zoom. It is something else entirely. It asks for clarity, empathy, and new habits. The goal stays the same… helping teams stay focused, motivated, and connected. Only the way to get there changes.
Moving from developer to manager feels like picking up a new programming language. At first it’s awkward, sometimes even frustrating. But once you get the hang of it, the rewards are huge.
I wrote a personal story on why architecture choices matter. From monolithic to headless, with SaaS as the secret weapon for speed, reliability and focus. Includes real-world case studies.
A distraction free environment is key for any high performing team. When people can stay focused, they create better results. As a leader I see it as my job to protect that focus. To remove the noise. To make sure the team can do the work that matters. That is why I use 5 simple yet effective strategies to cut out distractions and keep the team in flow.
Agile teams thrive on rhythm and balance. When they’re aligned, motivated, and collaborating, they can deliver amazing outcomes. But… I’ve seen how quickly that balance slips. Suddenly stand-ups feel heavy, velocity drops, and the backlog becomes noise instead of focus.
Jos Koomen
