Episode Summary: "When Stepping Back Becomes Stepping Away—A Leadership Failure Story" | Bernard Agrest
Podcast: Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast
Host: Vasco Duarte
Guest: Bernard Agrest
Release Date: June 30, 2025
Episode Overview
In this insightful episode of the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast, host Vasco Duarte welcomes Bernard Agrest, a seasoned Agile Coach and Certified Scrum Master. Bernard shares his personal journey through various roles in nonprofit organizations and educational institutions, culminating in his current position overseeing a major ERP implementation at the University of Wisconsin Madison Medical School. The episode delves deep into Bernard’s experiences, particularly focusing on a significant leadership failure early in his career and the valuable lessons he gleaned from it.
Guest Introduction: Bernard Agrest
Bernard Agrest brings a rich background in project management and Agile practices. His career trajectory includes:
- University of Wisconsin Madison Medical School: Leading a large-scale software implementation affecting over 10,000 employees.
- Tech for America: Building a Project Management Office (PMO) and steering data and learning initiatives.
- Veteran Service Nonprofit: Redesigning operations, co-leading national initiatives, and launching an alumni program.
Bernard’s unconventional path to becoming a Scrum Master highlights his adaptability and commitment to continuous learning.
Failure Story: When Stepping Back Became Stepping Away
Bernard recounts a pivotal moment early in his career while working at a veteran service nonprofit in New York. Tasked with leading an internal initiative to track veteran salary and career retention, Bernard was eager to prove himself. The project was high-stakes, with implications for securing future funding and demonstrating the program’s effectiveness.
Key Points of the Story:
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Project Initiation:
- Assigned by the CEO to lead the project.
- Goal: Demonstrate the positive impact of the mentorship program on veterans’ career retention and satisfaction.
- Bernard established workflows, aligned team goals, provided training, and offered rough project timelines.
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Assumption of Autonomy:
- Bernard trusted his team and decided to step back to avoid micromanagement.
- Initially, all team members appeared confident and committed.
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Emerging Challenges:
- Weeks before the deadline, Bernard noticed that one team member hadn’t started their tasks.
- Upon reviewing project work, he discovered significant errors in the data handling process.
- Realization that the lack of structured feedback loops and regular check-ins led to project derailment.
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Crisis Management:
- Faced with impending failure, Bernard took on the bulk of the work himself.
- Worked extended hours, including weekends, to salvage the project.
- Despite his efforts, the project outcomes were compromised, marking a significant leadership failure.
Key Lessons and Insights
Bernard’s experience underscores several critical lessons for Agile leaders:
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The Importance of Feedback Loops:
- Host Quote [10:07]: “It's in the doing of the work that we discovered, the work that must be done.”
- Regular check-ins and iterative reviews are essential to identify and address issues promptly.
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Balancing Trust and Oversight:
- Trusting the team is vital, but it should not equate to relinquishing all oversight.
- Empowerment involves creating spaces for questions and ensuring accountability, not stepping away entirely.
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Adaptive Leadership:
- Leaders must remain engaged and adaptive, especially when projects are high-visibility and high-stakes.
- Proactive problem-solving and maintaining open communication channels can prevent escalation of issues.
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Structured Project Management:
- Implementing basic structures such as weekly stand-ups can facilitate better project tracking and team alignment.
- Even simple frameworks can significantly enhance project outcomes by ensuring consistent progress monitoring.
Bernard’s Reflection [12:15]:
“Empowering doesn't mean I disappear. It means I create space for people to say, hey, I have a question, and I can then make them accountable for that work.”
Notable Quotes
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Bernard Agrest [08:54]:
“I just worked like crazy for that go, by the way, because I imagine it must not have been easy at the time.”
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Host Vasco Duarte [10:07]:
“It's in the doing of the work that we discovered, the work that must be done.”
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Bernard Agrest [12:15]:
“Empowering doesn't mean I disappear. It means I create space for people to say, hey, I have a question, and I can then make them accountable for that work.”
Conclusion
Bernard Agrest’s candid recounting of his early leadership failure provides valuable lessons for Scrum Masters and Agile Coaches alike. His story emphasizes the necessity of maintaining structured feedback mechanisms, balancing trust with active oversight, and the importance of adaptive leadership in navigating project challenges. By sharing his experiences, Bernard offers actionable insights that can help practitioners avoid similar pitfalls and enhance their leadership effectiveness within Agile frameworks.
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