Product Agility The Sriracha Sauce of High-Performance Teams: Adam Josephs on Risk Up Front
In this episode, host Ben Maynard is joined by Adam Josephs, the co-author of Risk Up Front, to explore the gritty truth behind high-performance teams and why rigour, not ruthlessness, is the key ingredient in complex, high-stakes environments.
If you’ve ever wondered why your team’s best intentions still lead to delays, late changes, or misaligned delivery, this conversation offers a refreshing and practical dive into the principles of execution discipline. Adam shares his “Sriracha Sauce” approach to teamwork—spicy, precise, and exactly what’s missing from your current playbook.
Drawing from decades of experience consulting for companies like Goldman Sachs and Microsoft, Adam discusses how upgraded conversations about commitment, integrity, and risk can transform how we lead, plan, and deliver. Plus, we get a sneak peek into Ruffy, the risk coaching AI that sounds a lot like your favourite comedian.
🧠 What You’ll Learn
- Why late changes—not bad intentions—derail most projects
- How to uncover “don’t know you don’t know” risks through structured conversations
- What it takes to bring clarity and ownership to team commitments
- The power of specificity in turning worries into action
- How engineering integrity into the small moments transforms culture
💥 Key Takeaways
- “Without rigour, you don’t get performance—you get chaos dressed as collaboration.”
- Accountability is a structure, not a personality trait
- Integrity starts with turning up on time and knowing what you’ve committed to
- Small acts of discipline create big shifts in team behaviour
🎯 Who This Is For
- Agile and product coaches working in complex, fast-moving environments
- Leaders looking to drive performance without micromanagement
- Product professionals who want fewer surprises and stronger delivery
- Transformation agents seeking practical tools to surface and address execution risks
Host Bio
Ben is a seasoned expert in product agility coaching, unleashing the potential of people and products. With over a decade of experience, his focus now is product-led growth & agility in organisations of all sizes.
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Ben Maynard
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Product Agility Podcast
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Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes
- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56
- iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p
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