Fake agile, real problems: When buzzwords meet reality
Have you ever felt your team is doing Agile without truly being agile? Or wondered how the product-led approach could radically transform your business? And let’s not forget, what’s all the buzz about AI in Agile and Product Management?
We recently tackled these fascinating topics on the latest episode of our Grow2Market podcast, aptly titled “Fake Agile, Real Problems: When Buzzwords Meet Reality.” I had the pleasure of reconnecting with Chris Cox, a seasoned product and engineering leader, for a conversation that was both insightful and genuinely fun.
Chris and I first crossed paths at KCOM, and he’s since gone on to play pivotal roles in some impressive projects, including leading BT’s development of the UK’s next-generation media and broadcast network. As you might imagine, Chris had some amazing insights to share.
Doing agile vs. Being agile
Chris wasted no time addressing a common misconception: Agile isn’t something you merely “do”; it’s a mindset and culture. Too many organisations jump into Agile expecting it to be a checklist of practices or frameworks. Yet, Chris points out the original Agile Manifesto itself is incredibly straightforward—just four values and twelve principles.
“If your leadership isn’t actively involved in fostering an agile culture,” Chris shared candidly, “you’re just playing Agile.” Simply adopting frameworks like SAFe, DAD, or LeSS isn’t a guarantee of agility. True agility emerges when the entire organisation—including leadership, finance, and commercial teams—is committed to collaboration, experimentation, and rapid value delivery.
Embracing a product-led approach
Our conversation then explored the world of being genuinely product-led. Chris broke down the crucial distinction between “projects” and “products.” Projects have a defined end-point, whereas products continue to deliver value throughout their lifecycle. It’s a subtle but powerful shift that fundamentally reshapes how teams operate, budget, and deliver.
A compelling takeaway was Chris’s concept of a “single-threaded leadership model,” like that employed by AWS. In this model, each product or value stream has full end-to-end ownership, from development through sales and marketing, fostering genuine accountability and cohesive strategy.
The Role of AI in agile and product management
Naturally, we couldn’t ignore the AI elephant in the room. While Chris acknowledged the transformative potential of AI, he emphasized its practical role today as an enabler rather than a replacement. He humorously touched on the trend of “vibe coding,” where humans design while AI handles the heavy lifting of code generation, and how AI might streamline administrative tasks, freeing humans for higher-value work.
However, Chris was clear that AI isn’t a silver bullet. “It should complement human creativity, not replace it,” he reminded us. From generating first drafts of user stories to managing mundane tasks, AI can significantly boost productivity—provided humans maintain oversight and ensure quality.
Catch the Full Conversation!
The discussion with Chris was packed with practical advice, real-world examples, and insights that could significantly impact your team’s approach to agility and product strategy. If these topics resonate with you, I’d highly recommend watching the full episode on YouTube or listening through your favourite podcast platform.
At Fractional Teams, we’re also passionate about helping businesses embrace true agility and build strong, product-led organisations to excel at marketing too. Stay tuned for more episodes of Grow2Market—where we dive deep into the topics that matter most to modern businesses.
This article has been written to support an episode of the same name in the Grow2Market podcast series, dedicated to exploring sales and marketing strategies in the B2B tech industries.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions, comments, or support with any of the topics addressed.
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Tim Meredith
Hi! I'm Tim Meredith, CEO at Fractional Teams. I write about the latest industry insights and give advice on Unified Comms development and growth.
