- The Punk PM
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- The Punk PM #21
Hey there, punk!
Product management has a habit of getting cluttered.
Ceremonies, frameworks, tools—we add layers to help us move faster, but sometimes they just slow us down.
This week, I’ve been thinking about what agility really means—and why simplifying might be the boldest move you can make.
Here’s why.
Quote of the Week 🙊
Agile is an output—a series of steps, processes and methods that dictate how people should work. Agility is an outcome—a measurable change in the behaviour of our teams, leaders and executives.
— Jeff Gothelf
Insight 🦉
Agile isn’t the issue. But the way we often apply it? That’s where things start to slip.
As product managers, it’s easy to get pulled into process. Especially in organisations that lean heavily on frameworks like Scrum—or worse, SAFe. Our days fill up with stand-ups, sprint planning, backlog refinement, and before long, vision and strategy are quietly sidelined.
Instead of focusing on outcomes, we start obsessing over tickets, story points, and burndown charts. We start mistaking motion for momentum.
But here’s the thing: real agility isn’t about how many ceremonies you attend or how polished your Jira board looks. It’s about how quickly you can learn, adapt, and deliver something meaningful.
The original Agile Manifesto was never about rigid frameworks. It was about people, collaboration, and responding to change. Somewhere along the way we forgot that. We got stuck trying to do Agile instead of being agile.
Great products have been built without any of this stuff. What matters is clarity, conviction, and the ability to move fast and learn faster. Whatever processes you’ve got in place should support that—not make it harder.
So next time you’re stuck in a retro that feels more like a performance review, ask yourself: is this helping us build better products, or just keeping the wheels turning?
Action 🚀
This week, pick one ritual—stand-up, retro, planning—and pause it.
See what breaks.
Chances are it won’t be the work.
Inspiration 💡
Shared Memory, Creative Reboots, and the Bright Side of AI – Scott Belsky explores how AI might reshape the way we learn, remember, and create. From shared knowledge networks to personalised education, it’s a bold (and oddly hopeful) take on the future of creativity. Read more
The PM Skill Stack for 2025 – Janna Bastow lays out the 14 essential skills every product manager needs this year—from AI literacy to communication craft. A solid reminder that adaptability isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s the job. Read more
Microsoft’s Agentic Internet – Dan Shipper breaks down Microsoft’s vision for an AI-first web, where intelligent agents do the heavy lifting behind the scenes. Think open standards, smarter chatbots, and an internet that works for you. Read more
Signing Off ✍️
If this resonates with you, hit reply and let me know what rituals you’re ditching this week. And if you know a friend or colleague who’s caught in process purgatory, send this their way. It might just help them break free!
Play it your way,
Toby