Let’s be honest, Agile has gotten a little… gadgety.
Somewhere between “individuals and interactions” and “have you tried this new Miro integration with our Jira/Confluence/Slack Frankenstein monster,” we lost the plot. What started as a way to help real humans do meaningful work became a weird arms race of certifications, frameworks, and sticky-note origami.
Look, I love a good retrospective as much as the next person, but we’ve turned Agile into a board game with too many expansions. And just like Monopoly, most people are playing it wrong anyway.
So let’s start over.
What if the Agile Manifesto was written today? What if it was designed the way Dave Ramsey lays out his Baby Steps? Not perfect. Not flashy. But clear, grounded, and helpful, enough of the time to matter.
Here’s what I think that version would look like.
The New Agile Manifesto (2025 – Simple Edition)
We work better when we:
1. Talk to each other.
Shocking, I know.
2. Work on the most important thing.
Not all things. Not five things. The thing.
3. Finish what we start.
Because half-built bridges don’t help anyone.
4. Check in often and adjust if needed.
Spoiler: You will need to.
5. Keep things simple.
If it takes a diagram to explain your diagram, you’re doing too much.
6. Respect people’s time.
“This could have been a Slack message” should be on a mug.
7. Fix problems early.
Waiting doesn’t make them better. It makes them worse and more expensive.
8. Get better over time.
You don’t need to be perfect. Just better than yesterday.
Agile Baby Steps
Inspired by the Dave Ramsey model – not in content, but in vibe. These are the Agile steps real teams can actually follow without needing a glossary or an Agile Coach in a headset.
1. List the work.
Write it down. All of it. Even the “quick favors” and “just 5 mins.”
2. Pick one thing to finish.
One. Not three. Not seven. One.
3. Talk daily.
Doesn’t have to be formal. Just connect and clear the blockers.
4. Show your progress.
Share early. Share messy. Feedback now beats rework later.
5. Adjust the plan.
If your plan is still perfect after two weeks, you’re either lucky or lying.
6. Keep improving.
Ask “what’s one thing we can do better?” and then actually do it.
7. Respect people.
Agile isn’t about moving faster. It’s about working smarter without burning people out.
Is this the most advanced, optimized, enterprise-grade Agile approach out there? Nope.
But it works. And people can remember it. And honestly? That’s the bar.
Agile was never supposed to be a status symbol or a subscription plan. It was a better way of working together – and it still is, if we get back to basics.
So if your team is lost in the jargon jungle, toss them this version. Stick it on the wall. Walk through the steps. Keep it simple.
Because simple works. Enough of the time to matter.
