Agile Mentors Podcast from Mountain Goat Software

AI can make teams faster. But it can also quietly make them worse. In this episode, Brian Milner and Hunter Hillegas dig into the risks no one wants to talk about—from eroding developer judgment to weakening team communication—and what healthy teams should do about it.

 

Overview

AI tools are powerful. They can generate code, draft tests, and accelerate delivery in ways that felt impossible just a few years ago. But speed is not the same as effectiveness.

In this episode, Brian sits down with Mountain Goat Software CTO Hunter Hillegas to explore where AI may actually be hurting Agile teams. They discuss the risk of losing junior developer growth paths, the illusion of productivity through inflated metrics, the danger of outsourcing judgment, and how AI can quietly create communication silos inside Scrum teams.

This is not an anti-AI conversation. It is a practical one. You will hear what guardrails healthy teams should consider, why accountability still belongs to humans, and how to use AI as a tool without letting it reshape your culture in ways you did not intend.

If your team is leaning into AI, this episode will help you do it with your eyes open.

 

References and resources mentioned in the show:

Hunter Hillegas

Blog: AI Doesn’t Eliminate Agile Teams — It Increases the Need for Great Ones by Mike Cohn
#169: Building Practical AI for Agile Teams with Hunter Hillegas

#82: The Intersection of AI and Agile with Emilia Breton

#151: What AI Is Really Delivering (and What It’s Not) with Evan Leybourn & Christopher Morales
Mountain Goat Software

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Want to get involved?

This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input.

  Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one.

  Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at [email protected]

This episode’s presenters are:

Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work. 

Hunter Hillegas is the Chief Technology Officer at Mountain Goat Software. With over 20 years of experience in software development, product ownership, and team leadership, he leads the creation of tools like the AI Toolkit and Team Home to support effective, engaging learning experiences. Hunter lives in Santa Barbara, California, with his wife and their dog Enzo.

Estimating can bring out strong reactions, and for good reason. Mike Cohn and Brian Milner unpack why it gets misused, what “estimate responsibly” really means, and how to use planning to make better decisions without turning numbers into weapons.

Overview

In this episode, Brian sits down with Mike Cohn to talk about estimating and planning in a way that teams can actually live with. They explore why estimates became such a hot button topic, what the “no estimates” movement is reacting to, and how Mike’s thinking has evolved over time. You will hear practical guidance on story points versus time, why teams should estimate only when it helps someone make a decision, and how to keep estimates from damaging trust. They also cover where flow metrics help, where they fall short, and how teams build credibility with leadership through responsible planning.

References and resources mentioned in the show:

Mike Cohn

Estimating & Planning in Agile - A 2026 Field Guide

Accurate Agile Planning Course

Blog: Estimating and Planning in Agile: Why They Still Matter in 2026 by Mike Cohn

Blog: Getting Better Estimates Is Easier Than You Think by Mike Cohn

Blog: What Are Agile Story Points? By Mike Cohn

Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast

Want to get involved?

This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input.

Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one.

Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at [email protected]

This episode’s presenters are:

Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work.

Mike Cohn, CEO of Mountain Goat Software, is a passionate advocate for agile methodologies. Co-founder of Agile Alliance and Scrum Alliance, he thrives on helping companies succeed with Agile and witnessing its transformative impact on individuals' careers. Mike resides in Northern Idaho with his family, two Havanese dogs, and an impressive hot sauce collection.

Hiring for Scrum roles is harder than it looks. Making the wrong call can derail an Agile transformation before it even starts. In this episode, Brian and Cort unpack what to actually look for in Scrum Masters, Product Owners, and Developers—beyond the job title and shiny certifications.

Overview

What makes someone a great Scrum Master? How do you spot the difference between a capable Product Owner and a glorified backlog manager? And what qualities matter most in a developer on a cross-functional Agile team?

In this episode, Brian Milner and Cort Sharp dig into one of the most foundational (and overlooked) parts of successful Agile adoption: hiring. You’ll learn what to include—and what to avoid—in your job descriptions, how to interview for the “real” skills that matter, and why collaboration often matters more than technical brilliance. Whether you're filling new roles or leveling up existing ones, this conversation will help you build stronger, more resilient teams from day one.

References and resources mentioned in the show:

Cort Sharp

Blog: 7 Questions to Determine if Being a Scrum Master Is Right for You by Mike Cohn

#155: Preparing for Interviews the Agile Way with Tali Shlafer

#157: What Teams Are Struggling With Right Now with Cort Sharp

Agile Skills Video Library

Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast

Want to get involved?

This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input.

Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one.

Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at [email protected]

This episode’s presenters are:

Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work.

Cort Sharp is an Agile Coach, Trainer, and Scrum Master. In addition to his love for Agile, Cort is also a serious swimmer and has been coaching swimmers for five years.

Most agile transformations start with energy, and then stall out when things get complex. In this episode, Mike Cohn returns with a practical framework to help teams and leaders spot what’s missing, build lasting momentum, and navigate change with more clarity and intention.

Overview

Agile isn’t just a set of practices—it’s a mindset shift, a role shift, and a culture shift. And without the right support, even the best-intentioned transformation efforts can lose steam. In this episode, Mike Cohn joins Brian to walk through his Five Pillars of Agile Transformation—a practical structure for guiding change that actually sticks.

Whether you're leading a single team or rolling out agile across the organization, this conversation will help you focus your efforts, spot common gaps, and use agile principles to strengthen your transformation from the inside out.

References and resources mentioned in the show:

Mike Cohn

What Happens When One of the Pillars is Missing Graphic

The Five Pillars of a Successful Agile Transformation by Mike Cohn

#102: Communicating Agile Transformations with McCaul Baggett

#110: Overcoming Organizational Dysfunctions with Lucy O’Keefe

#152: The Five Pillars of Real Agile Improvement with Mike Cohn

Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast

Want to get involved?

This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input.

Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one.

Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at [email protected]

This episode’s presenters are:

Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work.

Mike Cohn, CEO of Mountain Goat Software, is a passionate advocate for agile methodologies. Co-founder of Agile Alliance and Scrum Alliance, he thrives on helping companies succeed with Agile and witnessing its transformative impact on individuals' careers. Mike resides in Northern Idaho with his family, two Havanese dogs, and an impressive hot sauce collection.

Most teams aren’t broken because of individual incompetence. They’re struggling because the group itself isn’t set up to thrive. In this episode, author and researcher Colin Fisher joins Brian to reframe how we think about team performance, conflict, and psychological safety through the lens of real science, real practice, and a little jazz.

Overview

Group dynamics aren’t fluff. They’re the operating system behind every Agile team’s success (or struggle). Colin Fisher, author of The Collective Edge, joins Brian to share what decades of research and hands-on observation reveal about high-performing teams. From ideal team size (spoiler: it’s 4.5), to avoiding the trap of blaming individuals for systemic issues, Colin offers a practical, thought-provoking look at how to build more resilient, collaborative, and human-centered teams.

Expect fresh insights on team launch moments, role clarity, feedback culture, remote collaboration and how to keep your team “groupy” in the best possible way.

References and resources mentioned in the show:

Colin Fisher

Collective Edge by Colin Fisher

Colin's Free Newsletter

LinkedIn

YouTube

#80: From Struggling to Success: Reviving Agile Teams with Mike Cohn

#143: What Still Makes Teams Work (and Win) with Jim York

Self-Organizing Teams Are Not Put Together Randomly by Mike Cohn

Agile Skills Video Library

Subscribe to the Agile Mentors Podcast

Want to get involved?

This show is designed for you, and we’d love your input.

Enjoyed what you heard today? Please leave a rating and a review. It really helps, and we read every single one.

Got an Agile subject you’d like us to discuss or a question that needs an answer? Share your thoughts with us at [email protected]

This episode’s presenters are:

Brian Milner is a Certified Scrum Trainer®, Certified Scrum Professional®, Certified ScrumMaster®, and Certified Scrum Product Owner®, and host of the Agile Mentors Podcast training at Mountain Goat Software. He's passionate about making a difference in people's day-to-day work, influenced by his own experience of transitioning to Scrum and seeing improvements in work/life balance, honesty, respect, and the quality of work.

Colin Fisher is a former professional jazz musician turned organizational behavior expert who now helps teams unlock their creative and collaborative edge. A professor at University College London and author of The Collective Edge, Colin draws on decades of research—and a bit of jazz improv—to help leaders understand what really makes groups tick.