Arguing Agile: Product Management, Business Leadership, & Org Design

We're talking about either the terrifying or totally mundane new world of "vibe coding" - using AI to generate code without deep technical expertise.  Joining Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel for this podcast, we're happy to welcome back to the podcast Lenar Mukhamadiev, CEO of iDelsoft (https://idelsoft.com)! Listen as we discuss how...

Do you want to hear a story about stifling growth and creativity through the lens of one developer's personal story? You're in luck!  Join Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel as they watch and react to Theo's YouTube video: "Being a good engineer kinda sucks," April 28, 2025. It's a tale about the tension between excelling at y...

Who coaches PMs if Directors or CPOs don't understand how features get built?  ...or don't understand how to build a strategy? Join Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel as we analyze Ravi Mehta's PM competency framework and debate which skills actually matter at each level of product management! #ProductManagement #Leadership #ProductStrategy...

Listen or watch as Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel and Product Manager Brian Orlando debate whether communication is the primary function of product managers.  We explore how and if PMs can balance effective communication across stakeholder groups while still delivering results, in addition to other topics, such as:  What percentage really is communication The power-interest matrix for...

Ever been in a meeting where an executive decrees: "Engineering needs to go faster!" without any nuance or understanding of the underlying issues? What a coincidence - so have we!!! Listen or watch as Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel discuss this common yet problematic demand. Join us as we unmask deeper organizational issues, explore how to re...

Discover why the ability to ask for what you need is a critical skill that separates high performers from average ones.  Join Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel and Product Manager Brian Orlando as we explore the "how and why" of the skill that is: making more explicit requests for support! We dive into the dangers of hustle culture, the limitations of traditional hierarchies, an...

We're listening to each and every painful, cringeworthy word from Jamie Dimon's recent rant about remote work.  Join Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel and Product Manager Brian Orlando as they explore the tension between command-and-control management and outcome-based leadership.  Stick around as they argue (against and on behalf of) CEO of JP Morgan Chase, Dimon's frustra...

Should innovation be outsourced to specialized teams, or integrated into your existing product teams?  That's what Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel and Product Manager Brian Orlando are debating today!  Listen as we debate the pros and cons of separating innovation from implementation, exploring why "if you build it, you own it" should extend to innovation as well.  Join u...

Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel are listening and reacting to Melissa Perri on Lenny's Podcast as she makes claims about product management, agile, frameworks, and why most companies struggle with product management.  We discuss many of her claims, including: Product Management has nothing to do with the Manifesto for Agile Software Development Scr...

We're exploring the false dichotomy between being good at your job and being seen as valuable by leadership! The framework for this conversation was an eye-opening yet brutally honest post about the tactics one product manager claims to use to advance his career without delivering real impact.  We ask, "is success about making an impact or just being seen as valuable," while we expl...

Is it better to hire someone with deep domain expertise and teach them product management, or to bring in an experienced PM who can learn the domain?  Today, we're debating the strengths and weaknesses of both approaches across critical areas like business impact, product discovery, stakeholder management, and leadership! Listen (or watch) as Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Busin...

We're exploring the growing anti-Agile sentiment among developers as the agile-industrial complex has stitched together a grotesque imitation of what was once a vibrant movement.  Like Frankenstein's creation, what began with noble intentions has transformed into something both villagers and developers flee from in horror! Before lighting our torches and brandishing our pitchforks, we ex...

We're taking a critical look at the Double Diamond model, aka. Dual Track Development, aka. Dual Track Agile. This widely-adopted model might be leading leadership and/or teams astray, so we're taking some time to explore its limitations in real-world applications.  From the misconception of linear progression to the crucial importance of keeping customers involved throughout the process...

If communicating with stakeholders on a regular basis is part of your work and you're looking to improve your stakeholder management skills, this is your podcast.  We promise you'll learn practical strategies for effective stakeholder management that you can start using TODAY - or your money back!!! Join Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel as we u...

In this podcast, two tech industry veterans reflect and share candid insights from 20 years of navigating the ever-changing world of tech and software development. Join Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel as they talk strategies for recession-proofing your career, the critical importance of talking to customers, and the role leadership plays in driving orga...

In this episode, we go back to the future with the groundbreaking book by Dr. W. Edwards Deming - "The New Economics." Join us as we explore this goldmine of wisdom on leading organizations that are built to last.  This podcast is a no-holds-barred breakdown of Deming's System of Profound Knowledge and its four key elements: Appreciation for a system  Knowledge about variation Theor...

In this episode, we dive into "Crucial Conversations" by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, and Switzler, exploring essential techniques for handling high-stakes discussions in both professional and personal settings. Whether you're a team leader, product manager, or looking to improve your interpersonal skills, this episode offers practical strategies to transform challenging conversatio...

Are fractional executives the future of leadership in tech startups?  In this episode of Arguing Agile, Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel unpack the growing trend of fractional CXOs. We explore the benefits and trade-offs of hiring part-time executives, including: Access to high-level expertise and cross-industry experience Considerations for small and me...

As a Product Manager, are you constantly asked "When will it be done?" before even knowing what "it" is? Learn why this simple question is so problematic and how to handle it effectively. Learn strategies for educating stakeholders, collaborating on roadmaps, and focusing on delivering real value instead of arbitrary deadlines. Don't let deadline pressure derail your produ...

In this episode of the Arguing Agile podcast, we dive deep into the corrosive nature of excessive planning in software development organizations. Discover how the tyranny of plans can stifle innovation, hinder adaptability, and lead to project failures. We explore the cognitive dissonance that often plagues leadership when plans inevitably clash with market realities. Join us as we discuss strateg...

What Does an Enterprise Business Agility Coach ACTUALLY Do? Discover the crucial role of Enterprise Business Agility Coaches in transforming organizations! In this episode, we dive deep into: How an Enterprise Coach differs from other Coaches Working with C-suite executives to drive organizational change Measuring culture and transformation success Navigating resistance from middle management Impr...

Discover the four critical phases of product lifecycle management and learn how to navigate each stage successfully.  In this comprehensive guide, we break down: MVP : Building your initial product and finding market fit Growth : Scaling teams and features effectively Maturity : Optimizing operations and maintaining market position Sunset : Managing decline and transitioning strategies For each ca...

All Aboard the AI Hype Train!!! Product management is DEAD! It died facing a high-noon showdown with AI, and the rumors of it's demise are spreading faster than a locomotive through the boom-town of Silicon Valley. In this episode of Arguing Agile, Product Manager Brian Orlando and Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel try a daring uncoupling of the the AI hype train as they examine Clai...

Success as a platform PM requires both technical depth and exceptional emotional intelligence to navigate complex organizational dynamics... That goes double if you work in banking or finance! In this episode of Arguing Agile, Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel and Product Manager Brian Orlando read and respond to a question from a listener who is a platform product managers at a Bank. Get...

Have you been in a situation where engineering leadership and product management do not see eye-to-eye? In this episode, Enterprise Business Agility Coach Om Patel interviews and coaches Product Manager Brian Orlando on challenges product managers face when working with engineering teams, leads, and managers.  Listen/watch to learn tactics for diffusing a potentially difficult situation, including...