
Product Agility
The world of Product Discovery and Creation is becoming increasingly challenging due to mistakes and missed opportunities that are prevalent in agile teams, large-scale Scrum and all other agile frameworks. History has shown that when organisations try and scale their product development to more than one cross-functional team, mistakes are made that cut short many chances of getting all possible benefits.The route of this for many is the need for more attention paid to the incredible advancements in Product Management driven by hordes of professional Product People who prove that making their customers happier is not a pipe dream but a hard and fast reality.This podcast exists to explore all topics related to Product and Agility and Coaching. How do you marry the agile principles with Product discovery?Is it really possible to have hundreds of cross-functional teams (or Product Teams) all working from an effectively prioritised single Product Backlog and a dedicated Product Owner?How can you embrace continuous improvement and empirical process control for your product, people and processes?Ever wondered how to overcome the problems people face when trying to scale the Product Owner role and how it relates to Product Management and Product Teams?Baffled by how to define a product in such a way that enables Feature Teams (aka Product Teams) and why doing wrong means you will only ever be stuck with technical teams? Scrum Teams are not compatible with modern product management techniques.Want to know what Product Focus means and how the right focus makes creating a shippable product less painful?Need to get your head around how to blend modern product management techniques with Sprint Planning and Sprint Reviews to achieve Product Increments that cover the entire product?This podcast's original focus was on Scaling Scrum vs Single-Team Scrum and how organisations can reap the benefits of Scrum when working on a larger product but still keeping a single product backlog. We found many Product People liked what we said, and then the penny dropped. This isn't a podcast about scaling Scrum or the limitations of single-team Scrum.This podcast is for Product People & agile advocates who coach or get their hands dirty with Product creation.We promise there is no Taboo topic that we will not explore on your behalf. We aim to transcend the conversations about a single team, Daily Scrums, Scrum Masters and the double-diamond and bring everyone together into responsible teams dedicated to working on the entire product to make their customers happier and their lives more fulfilling.Come and join us on our improvement towards perfection, and give us your feedback (we have a strong customer focus, too), and who knows, perhaps we will discover the magic wand that we can wave over all the broken agile and sudo-products to create a more resilient and adaptable future by bringing the worlds of Product, Agility and coaching together.This podcast has the conversations and insights you need.
Latest episodes

Jan 30, 2025 • 48min
The 7 Key Traits of High-Performing Teams (with Lucy Widdowson & Paul Barbour)
Send us a textIn this week’s Product Agility Podcast, we explore the true foundations of high-performing teams with Lucy Widdowson and Paul Barbour, executive team coaches, authors, and lead tutors at Henley Business School. With decades of experience coaching leadership teams, Lucy and Paul share their insights on what separates functional teams from truly exceptional ones—and how organisations can foster collaboration that drives real results.Key Takeaways:What makes a ‘real’ team? Why many groups never reach their full potential.The 7 Key Traits of High-Performing Teams—and how to cultivate them.Breaking silos: The critical role of inter-team collaboration.Psychological courage over safety: Why real progress requires brave conversations.From scepticism to buy-in: How to engage teams resistant to change.Practical Insights:Team Coaching vs. Facilitation: Understanding the difference and when to use each.Shifting ownership to the team so performance improvements last.Leading global teams effectively: Overcoming the challenges of remote collaboration.Cross-team interventions: How getting teams in the same room accelerates progress.Quotable Moment:"You don’t create high-performing teams—you create the conditions for them to emerge."Links & Resources:📖 Read Lucy & Paul’s book: "Building Top-Performing Teams"👉 Amazon Link🌐 Learn more about Lucy & Paul’s work at Performance Edge👉 Performance-Edge.co.ukHost 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. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80

Jan 27, 2025 • 43min
Forget Beautiful – Here's Why Effective Design Wins (with Ashley Nicodemus)
Send us a textIn this week’s Product Agility Podcast, we explore the power of effective design with Ashley Nicodemus, a seasoned product designer and Senior Director of Design at UE Group. Ashley shares her deep expertise in mission-critical design and explains why beauty is great—but effectiveness is what truly drives impact.Key Takeaways:Design Beyond Beauty: Why effective design often means making products invisible in mission-critical environments.Focus on Performance: Minimising cognitive load and maximising human performance in high-stakes situations.Adoption Over Change: Learn how aligning with users' natural behaviours can unlock higher adoption rates.Strategic Insights: Why prioritising workflows over aesthetics can make or break your product's success.Practical Insights:Mission-Critical Principles: Discover the surprising rules of designing for environments like aerospace and medical industries.The Power of Minimalism: How “less is more” creates better outcomes in high-stakes environments.Behaviour-First Design: Build around users’ existing workflows rather than forcing new habits.Quotable Moments:“Delight comes not from flashy features but from helping users get their job done seamlessly.”“A great product feels like an extension of its user—effortless and intuitive.”Links and Resources:Explore Ashley’s work at UE Group: https://www.uegroup.com/Connect with Ashley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-nicodemus-23632867/💬 Ready to rethink your approach to design? Tune in now and tell us: How does your product balance beauty with effectiveness?Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. Don’t miss this episode—your users will thank you!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. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80

Jan 16, 2025 • 56min
OKRs vs. Strategy: Are You Focusing on the Wrong Thing? (with Sebastien Prioris)
Send us a textIn this week’s Product Agility Podcast, we explore the critical link between strategy and OKRs with Sebastien Prioris, a seasoned product leader and founder of Stratify. Seb shares why so many organisations struggle to make OKRs work—and how a clear, actionable strategy can change everything.Key Takeaways:OKRs Alone Aren’t Enough: Why they fail without a strong strategy behind them.The Missing Link: How to connect your vision, objectives, and execution seamlessly.Empowering Teams: Align OKRs with outcome-driven goals to foster success.Strategic Debt: The hidden cost of ignoring foundational strategic work.Practical Insights:Crafting Strategy: Treat strategy as an optimisation problem for better results.Breaking Silos: Use strategy to align teams and drive cross-functional collaboration.Outcome-Focused Leadership: Embed strategic thinking at every level of your organisation.Quotable Moments:“OKRs aren’t dead, but they’re meaningless without the strategy to back them up.”“A great strategy connects vision to execution and empowers teams to thrive.”Links and Resources:Explore Stratify: https://stratify.me/Connect with Seb Prioris: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebprioris/💬 Ready to rethink your approach to OKRs and strategy? Tune in now and share your thoughts: Is your organization focused on the right thing?Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. Don’t miss this episode—it could transform how you think about strategy and OKRs!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. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80

Jan 9, 2025 • 45min
Winning with Feedback: Building Products People Love (with Ivett Ördög)
Ivett Ördög, a seasoned engineer and product leader known for her Lean Poker workshop, shares transformative insights on leveraging feedback in product development. She discusses the critical impact of early and frequent user feedback on shaping successful products. Ivett emphasizes building trust through effective feedback loops and how feature adoption rates should be the key success metric. She also introduces gamified learning with Lean Poker to enhance team collaboration and rapid experimentation, making it easier for teams to adapt and thrive.

Dec 12, 2024 • 6min
Christmas Message 2024
Send us a textIn this special Christmas episode of the Product Agility Podcast, host Ben Maynard reflects on the past year and shares a message of gratitude and optimism.From challenges to triumphs, this year has been one of growth, connection, and inspiring conversations with amazing guests from across the agile and product communities. Ben also shares his hopes for the future, some candid behind-the-scenes insights, and his Christmas wish for more feedback and interaction from listeners like you.If you’ve ever wondered what drives the Product Agility Podcast, this warm and engaging message is the perfect way to close out the year and gear up for the exciting plans ahead.Key Takeaways:Gratitude: Celebrating our growing community of frequent listeners.Honest Reflections: The challenges and rewards of balancing podcasting with life and work.Looking Ahead: A sneak peek into 2025 with promises of more inspiring guests and diverse perspectives.Links and Resources:Connect with us: hello@sheev.co.uk or message us on LinkedIn!Got a story or feedback? We’d love to hear from you.This uplifting episode is a fitting wrap-up to 2024, offering a glimpse into the dedication and passion behind every conversation. Tune in for a dose of Christmas cheer and start the new year inspired!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. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80

Dec 5, 2024 • 46min
Why You're Presentations Aren't Creating Stakeholder Buy-In and How to Fix It (with Abdo Wahba)
Send us a textIn this episode of the Product Agility Podcast, Ben Maynard welcomes Abdo Wahba, presentation coach and product expert, to explore why so many presentations fail to create stakeholder buy-in—and more importantly, how to fix them. Drawing from over 1,300 hours of coaching experience, Abdo shares practical techniques to improve your communication skills and effectively influence stakeholders.If you’ve ever struggled with delivering impactful presentations that resonate with senior leaders or align your team, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help you succeed.Key Takeaways:Start from the End: Why leading with your conclusion hooks attention and drives decisions.Engaging Stakeholders: Practical steps to tailor your message to resonate with your audience.Storytelling in Business: How to use stories to build emotional connections.Focus on One Key Takeaway: Ensuring your message is clear, memorable, and actionable.Practical Tools & Methods:Audience-Centric Frameworks: Flip the script to prioritise what your audience needs to hear.Gossip as a Strategy: Engage through relatable stories and examples that hold attention.Houston, We Have a Problem Template: A storytelling structure for framing problems and solutions effectively.Quotable Moments:"Your audience doesn’t care about your process; they care about what it means for them." "Focus on one takeaway—because chances are that’s all they’ll remember."Links and Resources:Connect with Abdo Wahba: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abdelrahmanwahba/This engaging conversation provides a masterclass in making your presentations matter. Whether you’re pitching to stakeholders, rallying a team, or presenting at a conference, you’ll learn how to inspire action and drive alignment.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. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80

Nov 28, 2024 • 49min
Why Early Testing Beats Fancy Metrics Every Time, a CTO’s Guide to Building Products People Love (with Tamas Kokeny)
Send us a textIn this episode of the Product Agility Podcast, Ben welcomes Tamas Kokeny, CTO of Bobcats Coding, to explore the often-overlooked yet critical intersection of technology and product agility. Tamas brings his extensive technical expertise to discuss how to prioritise early testing over relying solely on sophisticated metrics to create products that truly resonate with users.If you've ever grappled with finding the balance between innovation and pragmatism in product development, this episode delivers insights and real-world advice to transform your approach.Key Takeaways:Early Testing Over Perfection: Why embracing failure and quick iterations often yields better results than long-term product visions.From Vision to Validation: Practical tips on avoiding the trap of building for months only to find no market fit.Building the Right Infrastructure: Insights into setting up systems for continuous experimentation and feature toggling.Mindset Shift: Moving from "house-building" to "evolutionary" thinking in digital product development.Practical Tools & Methods:Concierge MVPs: How manual processes and simple tools like Google Sheets can validate ideas without heavy investment.Feature Toggles: Streamline experimentation with small user cohorts before scaling features.Case Study Insights: Stories of startups succeeding with minimal viable products and adaptive strategies.Quotable Moments:"Most product ideas are bad, and that's okay. The goal is to quickly figure out which ones aren't.""The infrastructure for testing isn't optional—it's the lifeblood of lean product development.""Digital products should evolve daily, not be treated like static house blueprints."Links and Resources:Learn more about Bobcats Coding: bobcatscoding.comConnect with Tamas Kokeny on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eggdice/This candid and knowledge-packed conversation reveals how to innovate smarter, build products users love, and stay ahead in an ever-changing digital landscape.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. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80

Nov 21, 2024 • 47min
From Fluffy Mission Statements to Actionable Strategies: Lessons from Unblock (with Jurriaan Kamer)
Send us a textIn this episode of the Product Agility Podcast, Ben speaks with Jurriaan Kamer, thought leader, consultant, and co-author of Unblock: How to Create Focused and Adaptable Organizations. Jurriaan shares insights from his experience helping organisations overcome bureaucracy, embrace aligned autonomy, and foster true agility at every level.If you’ve ever wondered how to move beyond vague mission statements and create strategies that work, this episode offers practical advice and actionable frameworks to help you build a more adaptable, focused organization.Key Takeaways:Aligned Autonomy in Practice: How to balance alignment with autonomy to empower teams while maintaining organisational focus.The Power of Strategic Intent: Replacing vague mission statements with clear, strategic intent to guide decisions and achieve impactful outcomes.Tackling Harmony Addiction: Why avoiding conflict can harm team growth and how to foster constructive disagreement.From Cascading to Integration: Why traditional strategy rollouts fail and how participatory change can improve engagement and results.Practical Tools & Methods:Even Over Statements: A method to clarify trade-offs and prioritise effectively across teams.Self-Alignment Workshops: Ways to involve teams in co-creating strategies that align with organisational goals.Quotable Moments:"Strategy isn’t a deck—it’s a cohesive set of choices that enable you to win.""True leadership is about designing systems, not directing traffic."Links and Resources:Connect with Jurriaan Kamer on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jurriaankamerLearn more about Unblock: www.unblock.worksHost 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. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80

Nov 14, 2024 • 47min
Building Influence through Clear Communication (With Evgeniy Kharam)
Send us a textIn this episode of the Product Agility Podcast, Ben sits down with Evgeniy Kharam, author and communication expert, to discuss the underrated art of clear communication and its role in building influence. Drawing on his experience in technical sales and cybersecurity, Evgeniy shares why “soft” skills are anything but soft, and how mastering them can help leaders connect, engage, and drive impact. If you’ve ever struggled to make your ideas stick or felt nervous presenting to a crowd, this episode is packed with insights to help you feel more confident and effective.Key Takeaways:Turning Fear into Excitement: How recognising the difference between fear and excitement can make presentations feel manageable—and even enjoyable.Curiosity as a Core Skill: Why maintaining a mindset of curiosity leads to better questions, stronger connections, and a more engaging presence.Communicating with Clarity: Simple strategies to cut through jargon and ensure your message lands with any audience.Breathing and Visualisation Techniques: Practical tools to calm your nerves, increase focus, and improve your presentation flow.Practical Tools & Methods:Box Breathing: A breathing exercise to help you relax, stay centred, and communicate with ease.Building Rapport with “Hooks”: How to find common ground quickly and make authentic connections with anyone.Quotable Moments:"Communication isn’t about what you say; it’s about what others understand." "Empathy isn’t just a ‘soft’ skill—it’s essential to making ideas resonate."Links and Resources:Connect with Evgeniy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ekharam/For more on Evgeniy’s work, visit his website at https://www.softskillstech.ca/ 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. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80

Oct 31, 2024 • 48min
Avoiding OKR Overload: How to Focus on What Really Matters (With Richard Russell)
Send us a textIn this episode of the Product Agility Podcast, Ben sits down with OKR and strategy expert Richard Russell to tackle a challenge many scale-ups face: OKR overload. Richard, with years of experience at Amazon and Google, shares insights on creating effective objectives without overwhelming teams. If you've felt the pain of unfocused, sprawling OKRs, this episode sheds light on simplifying and strengthening your approach.Key Takeaways:The Pitfalls of Too Many OKRs: How having excessive objectives dilutes focus and overwhelms teams.Achieving Alignment Without Overload: Why keeping OKRs lean and clear is more impactful.The Role of Strategy: OKRs should be an extension of a well-defined strategy, not a substitute for one.Centralisation vs. Autonomy: Find the balance between a unified direction and team-led execution.Avoiding Task Overload: How to steer clear of overwhelming backlogs and stay focused on impactful outcomes.Practical Tools & Methods:Setting Priorities with Fewer OKRs: Limit OKRs to those directly tied to critical outcomes.The Execution Flywheel: Richard’s unique framework that uses strategy, goals, planning, and review for sustainable growth.Quotable Moments:"OKRs are meant to guide focus, not create it. Without a clear strategy, they’re just more tasks.""A few strong objectives will take you farther than an endless list of ‘nice-to-haves.’”Links and Resources:Connect with Richard on LinkedIn: Richard Russell LinkedInWant more insights on OKRs and strategy? Visit Richard’s website at richardrussell.co for resources and tips on practical, lean OKRs.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. Stay up-to-date with us on our social media📱! Ben Maynard 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/benmaynard-sheev/ 🐦 https://x.com/BenWMaynard 💻 https://sheev.co.uk/ Product Agility Podcast 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/productagilitypod/ 💻 https://productagilitypod.co.uk/ 🖇️ https://linktr.ee/productagility Listen & Share On Spotify & iTunes Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0lkwAYJzVSuk5zfJ1vIDZq?si=4c691fb12f124a56 iTunes - https://apple.co/3YvTX8p Want to come on the podcast? Want to be a guest or have a guest request? Let us know here https://bit.ly/49osN80
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