About this episode
Outcomes, not Outputs
We wonder why Agile is dying. Should we be so surprised?
You’re probably watching your wallet these days. Prices are up, the economy is slow and uncertain.
Your employers are no different. In 2026, story points, velocity, lead time and throughput might matter to YOU, but they don’t matter to THEM.
Not to say that those measures aren’t important. Heck, you can’t tune your development, testing and deployment operations if you’re not looking at them.
But if you were called to the mat tomorrow, if you were asked to prove the ROI of what you do, those metrics don’t tell a compelling story. It’s about Outcomes, not Outputs.
Coaches and SM’s are now being called to defend their worth. They’re not interested in how well-tuned the development machine is if that doesn’t translate to real business results. The measures that the business cares about have to do with their financial outcomes, not outputs that don’t face the customer.
Are your efforts helping the company create shareholder value? Do they impact earnings-per-share? If your boss spends a few million on a cadre of Agile Coaches this year, is that a net-positive investment for the company? More cashflow? More customers? Fewer abandoned carts? New subscribers?
I know. I sound super-corporate right now. And maybe you hate that. But if you’re looking to accelerate your career in 2026, you can’t ask the people who fund it to trust you, sight unseen. They’re taking a closer look at the books, and these questions are long overdue. How are you contributing to our results? The Dev team might be considered a necessary expense, but if your Agile Shirpa talent aren’t making the team more impactful than they would be on their own, why are you even here?
Remember, its Outcomes, not Outputs.
This is the future of Agile practice in large enterprise. You have to collaborate with the business, and drive results for them. If you want to learn how, you should check out my brand-new Business Outcomes Partner Playbook. Get the edge so you can get your career back where it belongs, and say good-bye to to the upheaval and uncertainty that’s ripping through our industry.
Did you enjoy this episode? You might also like these:
The 2026 18th State Of Agile Report
Episode 224 – Circulate Value – The Agile Survival Skill
Episode 235 – Agile Is A Doorway
**LEARN HOW TO DELIVER UNDENIABLE ROI THAT SAVES YOUR JOB AND A
