AGILE BOOKS
Agility: Ambition And Stupidity — Insights from ‘Solving for Value’ with Sander Dur
It’s not just another leadership book, it’s a bar book
Today, in a refreshing conversation, Sander Dur, co-author of “Solving for Value: A Journey of Ambition and Stupidity,” shares insights beyond typical Agile theory.
Unlike traditional management books, Sander and his co-author, Ryan Brook, wrote their book in a conversational “bar book” style. They are drawing from real-world scenarios they’ve encountered throughout their careers as consultants and trainers. And speaking about the drawings, Olina Glindevi is the hand behind the pictures in the book.
TL;DR The interview offers valuable insights for anyone involved in organizational transformation, product development, or Agile practices. It serves as a reminder that while frameworks and methodologies are important, the real value comes from understanding the underlying principles and being willing to make meaningful changes to how we work.
The Current State of Agile: Dead or Evolving?
Despite claims that “Agile is dead” and “Scrum is over,” Sander maintains that agility — the ability to respond to change — will always be necessary. What we’re seeing isn’t the death of Agile but rather “Agile fatigue.” People are tired of being bombarded with terminology without being empowered to implement meaningful change.
The shift from Scrum Master-focused training to Product Management courses reflects this evolution. However, we might want to avoid treating “product” as just another buzzword, emphasizing instead the importance of focusing on outcomes rather than frameworks.
As for a Scrum trainer, Sander seems very flexible and open to experimentation, even with Scrum itself — that’s very refreshing!
The Scaling Trap: Why More Isn’t Always Better
One of the most compelling parts of the discussion centered on the perils of rapid scaling. Sander explains that organizations often make a critical mistake:
“If you’re going to scale shit, you’re just going to get a bigger pile of shit.”
The decision-makers driving rapid scaling are typically removed from the actual work, leading to disconnected choices with serious consequences.
Using a vivid analogy, Sander compares sudden organizational scaling to abruptly adding millions of new residents to Barcelona — the existing infrastructure simply can’t handle it. He references Brooks’ Law with a memorable quote:
“Trying to deliver a baby with nine pregnant women in one month is not gonna have the desired effect.”
