Why might leaders turn to the Product Operating Model (POM) after a previous Agile transformation, for example, based on SAFe, failed?
This article uncovers the psychological, organizational, and strategic reasons behind this seeming contradiction, exploring what motivates leaders to believe that a new approach will succeed where others have not.
Welcome to the 469th edition of the Food for Agile Thought newsletter, shared with 42,993 peers. This week, Benji Portwin shares a leadership framework for balancing risks and outcomes to support ‘Disagree And Commit,’ and Mike Cottmeyer tackles Scrum’s limitations with proactive orchestration, while Maarten Dalmijn critiques Scrum’s decline. Also, Greg Satell highlights fostering change through shared values, and we explore “Product Washing,” where superficial Product Operating Model adoptions hinder real transformation.
Next, Roman Pichler examines using the product lifecycle model to sustain value, and John Rossman shares insights on bold leadership and AI innovation. Moreover, Melissa Perri unpacks Product Owner and manager roles while critiquing SAFe, and Maja Voje offers frameworks for scalable go-to-market strategies focusing on positioning and systematic approaches.
Lastly, John Cutler focuses on actionable behaviors over abstract concepts. Chris Matts critiques misused value streams and SAFe, and Christina Wodtke discusses OKRs and collaboration. Finally, Ian Vanagas shares PostHog’s agile tech strategies, and Dean Peters humorously tackles product management ‘nightmares’ with sharp insights and actionable control tips.
By all means, the “Product Operating Model” (POM) has surged in popularity, especially among traditional organizations keen to prove their adaptability. (And, of course, among the McBostonians who, now that ”Agile” is dead, need a substitute to bill their junior consultants.) Which brings us to the problem of Product Washing.
On the surface, the product operating model promises a more customer-focused, outcome-driven approach. Empowered teams create value iteratively rather than following rigid, output-focused roadmaps. Best of all, they do so autonomously, well-aligned with the organization’s overall strategy and the possibly myriad other teams working on different initiatives. Think of SAFe done right.
Yet, for all its promise, the product operating model risks becoming another buzzword rather than an actual driver of transformation. Organizations that tout a “product-led” philosophy often do so without making the profound changes needed to live by it. This hollow adoption of product practices, or what we might call “Product Washing,” leaves companies stuck in the same old dynamics but with a new vocabulary: transformation by reprinting business cards. (Does this sound familiar?)
Welcome to the 468th edition of the Food for Agile Thought newsletter, shared with 42,965 peers. This week, Ned O’Leary advocates streamlined, minimalist product processes to improve product velocity, while John Cutler addresses organizational inertia through adaptive structures. Also, Max Levchin shares Affirm’s integrity-driven productivity approach, Maarten Dalmijn analyzes Waternet’s failed SAFe transformation, and Shubham Sharma advocates lean, continuous feedback over traditional Retrospectives.
Next, Jeff Gothelf and Josh Seiden reveal updated Lean Product and Strategy Canvases for holistic product alignment, Aakash Gupta interviews Maria Cuasay on accelerating growth through focused culture and processes, and Paweł Huryn identifies ten productivity drains in product management. Moreover, Alex Debecker highlights scope bloat’s pitfalls.
Lastly, Adam Ard contrasts collaboration styles, stressing individual ownership vs. team-driven consistency to boost productivity. Kyle Crawford advocates for embracing ambiguity in overcoming barriers to social impact, and Manu Kapur emphasizes “productive failure” as a structured growth tool. Finally, Sheril Mathews reinforces that blending psychological safety with high standards creates an optimal “Learning Zone” for high performance.
How do you deal with prioritization of the flood of new requirements, requests, and ideas? Let’s talk about the challenges of mastering work intake to achieve sustainable productivity and flow. Expect new ideas from authors Jeremy Willets and Tom Cagley on a classic challenge for every team in this fantastic recording of the 64th Hands-on Agile Meetup. (The video was recorded in English.)
📺 Watch the video now: Mastering Work Intake w/ Jeremy Willets and Tom Cagley — Hands-on Agile #64.
Welcome to the 467th edition of the Food for Agile Thought newsletter, shared with 42,944 peers. This week, John Cutler explores the adaptive nature of messy product management, emphasizing real-world learning over fixed roles, while Scott Ambler critiques Agile’s “gold rush,” urging a move away from certifications and frameworks toward genuine improvement. Allan Kelly reflects on Art Kleiner’s Age of Heretics, highlighting Agile’s enduring influence despite early transformation failures. Research from Aaron De Smet, Gemma D’Auria, et al. underscores the value of trust and collaboration over “superstar” individuals for team success, and Andy Cleff shares Bob Anderson’s insights on advancing leadership beyond reactive mindsets as essential for true Agile transformation.
Next, Joe Procopio cautions against AI-driven standardization, arguing that real product managers are needed to revive customer-centered innovation, and Noa Ganot offers a three-step approach for maintaining strategic alignment in bottom-up planning, ensuring initiatives align with larger goals. In a podcast, Jason Knight and Jas Shah challenge the “CEO of the product” myth, describing product management as unglamorous and marked by coordination challenges and limited authority. Also, Thijs Morlion and Bart Schroyen introduce a seven-layer model to bridge silos, promoting a collaborative, purpose-driven approach to product development.
Lastly, Jonatan Kruszewski debunks the myth of “zero tech debt,” advocating for manageable debt to enhance delivery and business alignment. Douglas Squirrel and Jeffrey Fredrick delve into Toyota Kata, illustrating how Improvement and Coaching Kata elevate team quality and delivery. Paul Grew introduces a Monte Carlo tool to refine Scrum forecasting, though he emphasizes that data quality and judgment are key. Moreover, Deirdre Cerminaro unpacks systems thinking, presenting mindsets for reframing complex problems. Finally, Dan Shipper suggests that product creation thrives on dynamic, sequence-based thinking over fixed needs, fostering genuine customer engagement through experimentation.
