Agile is dead? Really?

The Trend That Won’t Die…

Lately, I’ve seen it everywhere: “Agile is dead.” It’s become the trendy thing to say. Declaring the death of Agile gets clicks, boosts engagement, and sparks heated debates. Some have even gone so far as to remove “Agile” from their job titles, as if avoiding the word will fix the real issues at hand.

I get it. The frustration is real. But let’s be clear: Agile isn’t dead. It’s suffocating—and we, the Agile community, are holding the pillow.

Agile: not dead, but stagnant & in dire need of saving

Where We Went Wrong

As Agile practitioners—coaches, Scrum Masters, consultants—we have let companies down. Not because Agile itself is flawed, but because of how we’ve allowed it to be implemented. Here’s where we’ve gone wrong:

• Overpromising, underdelivering – We’ve sold Agile as a magic bullet that guarantees success, instead of the hard, iterative process it actually is.
  

• Pushing frameworks over mindset – Companies were sold a framework instead of an adaptive mindset. They got rules, ceremonies, and checklists—but no cultural shift.
  

• Certification factories – The Agile world has become flooded with quick-fix certifications that create “Scrum Masters” who have never coached a team or run a retrospective.
  

• Checkbox Agile – Agile has been reduced to compliance:

  “Do we have stand-ups? ✅
  Retrospectives? ✅
  Sprints? ✅
  Great, we’re Agile now.”
  But are we actually delivering value?
  

• Keeping the gravy train running – Too many consultants have prioritised keeping Agile engagements comfortable instead of pushing real change. We’ve avoided hard conversations, gone along with bad implementations, and played it safe.

It’s no wonder some companies have been burned by Agile. They were given a framework without the mindset, rules without purpose, and a promise of speed without the reality of learning. That’s not Agile. That’s a scam.

We’re selling our clients a dream: but are we making good on what we promised them?

Why I Still Believe in Agile

Despite all of this, I still believe in Agile. Not the diluted, checkbox version that’s been sold to companies—but the real Agile:

✅ I believe in empiricism – We learn through experience, inspect and adapt, and evolve as we go.

✅ I believe in failing fast – Because trying, learning, and improving beats standing still.

✅ I believe Agile is a mindset, not a process. It’s about creating value, responding to change, and building empowered teams—not following rigid rules.

How Do We Fix This?

If we want Agile to thrive again, we need to step up. Here’s what needs to change:

🔄 Refocus on outcomes, not process. Agile isn’t about running stand-ups and retros—it’s about delivering value, faster and smarter.

🧠 Teach mindset, not just frameworks. If companies don’t understand why Agile works, they’ll never apply it correctly.

💬 Have the tough conversations. Stop selling easy solutions to complex problems. Push for real change, even when it’s uncomfortable.

📉 Reduce reliance on certification mills. We need more experience-based learning, not more letters next to our names.

There’s still hope for Agile - we just need to shine a light on what really works

Let’s Fix it together, now!

So no, Agile isn’t dead. It’s waiting for us to finally be the champions of the seismic organisational shift we were meant to lead—instead of dodging ownership and accountability for the mess we’ve made.

🚀 I am proud to be an Agile Coach.

🏆 I am proud to be a Scrum Master.

🤝 I take pride in my work and in helping my clients succeed—using the tools, techniques, and practices that work for them, in their environment, and for their customers.

💡 If you’ve been burned by bad Agile, let’s fix it. I’m here to undo the damage and show what Agile really means: creating value, working smarter, and empowering teams to adapt and thrive.

📅 Let’s talk. Book your free 30-minute consultation now.