Sha Khastedai

Is agile dead? I've been working with Scrum since 2017, when I transitioned from being a PMP-certified project manager to working in a Scrum environment. It was actually exciting. I had seen PMBOK-style planning failing repeatedly in software development projects. Beautiful Gantt charts, huge scope definitions and tons of assumptions. And still - late deliveries, scope creep and frustrated stakeholders. "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." Mike Tyson Scrum brought hope, especially for me, a huge Lean Startup advocate. - Iteration over prediction - Feedback over assumptions - Adaptation over rigidity But here’s something interesting. Even though I had to unlearn: - Overconfidence in upfront planning - Treating change as failure - Measuring success only by deadline I realized that there was a lot that I could keep: clear accountability, structured communication, stakeholder alignment. But one stood out: **risk analysis**. I was always the one asking the team - what could go wrong? How do we mitigate it? But here's what I'm seeing now — even Scrum is being questioned. Teams are pushing back: - Too many ceremonies. - Too much velocity theater. - Too little ownership. And they’re not wrong. What I’ve learned is this: every framework eventually becomes dogma if you stop critically thinking. Because in the end Scrum, PMBOK, SAFe and whatnot are just tools. Outcomes are the goal. The real leadership skill isn’t enforcing a methodology. It’s understanding the reason behind each principle — and knowing when to add structure, and when to get out of the way. So is agile dead? No. But the way most teams practice it might be. There's a reason Scrum caps teams at 7-9 people and it has nothing to do with coordination. It's about cognitive load. That principle exists for a reason. Understanding the 'why' is what separates practitioners from dogmatists. I'll drop the link of the article in the comments. #Agile #ProductManagement #Leadership #ProductLeadership #Scrum #TechLeadership #AgileLeadership #EngineeringCulture

35

6 Comments

Agile, Waterfall, and Scrum are often used interchangeably—but choosing the wrong approach can slow delivery and increase risk. This article breaks down the key differences, similarities, and real-world use cases to help teams select the right methodology for their projects. If you’re looking to make more informed project decisions, this one is worth a read. - https://smpl.is/afy77 #ProjectManagement #Agile #Scrum #Waterfall

2

Project Managers.. you are one decision away from a better career. NOT another cert. NOT another template. NOT another late night fixing a RAID log. A decision. Every week I hear: “I’ll apply when things calm down.” “I need one more certification.” “I’m not ready for Senior PM.” “The market is bad.” I get it. But here’s the truth: You’re always going to be busy. You’re never going to feel fully ready. The market will always feel uncertain. Waiting feels safe. But waiting is still a choice. You manage risk for a living. You push stakeholders to decide. You move projects forward. But when it’s your own career? You pause. The PMs I'm working with aren’t smarter. They’re clearer. They position themselves better. They decide faster. You don’t need to be perfect. You need to move. So here’s the question: Are you building the career you want OR just managing the one you have? If you’re applying to 100+ PM roles and getting ghosted, DM me ‘PM’ and I’ll show you exactly what’s killing your profile AND how to fix it so recruiters actually respond.”

6

4 Comments

🎯 Interview Question: “As a Scrum Master, how do you handle impediments in your team?” Most answers I hear go like: 👉 “I remove blockers.” Sounds correct… but honestly, that’s just the surface. In real projects, impediments are rarely that simple. 💡 Here’s how I approach it in real life: 1️⃣ First — I focus on surfacing the real problem In stand-ups, I don’t just ask: “Any blockers?” I ask: What’s slowing you down? Anything that might become a risk later? Because many times, the biggest issues are hidden, not visible. 2️⃣ Not everything is a blocker — some are dependencies One mistake I’ve seen: Teams treat everything as an urgent blocker. But I try to differentiate: 🚫 Blocker → needs immediate action 🔄 Dependency → needs tracking and coordination This alone reduces a lot of chaos. 3️⃣ Transparency is half the solution If Jira shows “In Progress” but the work is actually stuck… that’s a problem. I ensure: 👉 Status reflects reality 👉 Stakeholders are not surprised Because unclear visibility creates more pressure later. 4️⃣ Sometimes… I don’t solve it myself Real talk. A Scrum Master is not there to fix everything. Sometimes the job is: Connecting the right people Escalating at the right time Creating space for technical discussions 5️⃣ The real game is prevention The best teams I’ve worked with don’t just fix issues — they learn from them. In retros: We dig into root causes (not just symptoms) We talk about patterns We make small improvements every sprint 💭 My biggest learning: Impediment removal is not about being a hero who fixes everything. It’s about: 👉 Making problems visible 👉 Helping the team solve them 👉 And ensuring they don’t come back again 💬 Curious to hear from others: What’s the toughest impediment you’ve handled as a Scrum Master? #ScrumMaster #AgileLeadership #ImpedimentRemoval #AgileCoaching #ScrumInterview #ServantLeadership

11

3 Comments

I promote Project Managers who deliver bad news fast. There is a misconception that a "Good Project Manager" solves every problem quietly so the stakeholders never worry. 🔹 That isn't leadership. That is gambling. The difference between a good PM and a great leader is the speed at which they escalate a "Red" status. 🚩 The instinct: "I made a mistake. If I work late for 3 days, I can fix it before the sponsor notices. I don't want to look incompetent." 🟢 The Discipline: "We have a deviation. If I escalate now, we have 5 options. If I wait a week, we will only have 1 option." 🔹 The math is simple: Time = Options. When you sit on bad news, you are actively destroying the organization's ability to maneuver. You are burning the "Time Budget." By the time you finally admit the project is delayed, you have forced the Execs into a corner where the only solution is "Throw more money at it." I tell my teams on Day 1: "You will never get in trouble for a Red status. But you will get in trouble for a Green status that turns Red overnight." Your salary isn't for the easy days. It’s for your courage on the hard ones. #ProjectManagement #Leadership #RiskManagement #Banking #Transparency

31

34 Comments