In this episode of Season 2 of The Agile CEO, JJ Sutherland sits down with George Champlin-Scharff, Senior Business Agility & Operating Model Consultant at Scrum Inc., to explore how AI, Agile, and Lean intersect to redefine how organizations think, operate, and compete.

With over 25 years of experience revolutionizing team productivity through technology and process innovation, George has seen firsthand how agility, automation, and intelligence can unlock scale. From his early days at IBM’s Watson AI organization—where he helped grow a small research team into a global workforce—to his leadership roles in product and customer success at Zenhub, George brings a deeply cross-functional perspective on what it takes to lead through transformation.

He and JJ unpack why many companies still struggle to turn AI into results, how Lean thinking removes friction, and why Agile remains the operating system that makes innovation sustainable. Together, they reveal how combining these three disciplines—AI, Agile, and Lean—creates organizations that learn faster, deliver smarter, and adapt at the speed of change.

George also shares his daily AI tech stack, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how he integrates automation into his workflow to amplify impact and save time: • Wispr Flow – Voice-first dictation and automation • Granola – Meeting notepad for transcription, summaries, and action items • ChatGPT – Everyday general-purpose AI for search and brainstorming • Pro Claude – Deeper reasoning and human-like writing • Pro Gemini – Google’s large-context model for integrated workflows • NotebookLM – Google’s research assistant for synthesis and insight • ClaudeCode – Rapid AI prototyping and coding • Notion AI – Drafting, summarizing, and organizing directly in documents • MCP Servers – Connects Claude to Google Apps, Drive, and Jira for automated task breakdowns

If you’re a leader navigating digital transformation, organizational inertia, or the pressure to “do something with AI,” this episode offers a practical roadmap for aligning technology, process, and people to unlock lasting advantage.

Schedule a free consultation with Scrum Inc. and mention The Agile CEO. Don’t forget to subscribe, watch, and listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more.🖥️ | Learn more: ⁠⁠https://www.scruminc.com/⁠⁠📆 | Schedule Free Consultation: ⁠⁠https://www.scruminc.com/consulting/⁠⁠

In this episode of The Agile CEO, host JJ Sutherland, CEO of Scrum Inc., sits down with Cameron Kunzelman, Professor of Game Studies at Mercer University, to explore what game theory, simulation, and behavioral design can teach us about leading complex organizations. Through the lens of video games and systems thinking, Cameron and JJ unpack how rules, incentives, and feedback loops shape behavior—not just in games, but in every workplace and team.

From complex adaptive systems to organizational psychology, Cameron draws on examples from game design and cultural theory to reveal how every system—corporate or creative—reflects the values and assumptions of the people who build it. Together, they discuss how leaders can intentionally design better “rule sets” that drive alignment, creativity, and accountability, while avoiding the traps of over-gamification and rigid bureaucracy.

For executives, agilists, and innovators alike, this conversation offers a new way to think about operating models and leadership: as systems in motion. Whether you’re designing incentives for your teams or rethinking your organization’s structure, this episode challenges you to embrace uncertainty, experiment with rules, and build systems that can adapt and thrive in the face of change.

Resources and Mentions:Cameron Kunzelman Website: https://ckunzelman.com/Cameron Kunzelman on Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/ckunzelman.bsky.socialThe World is Born From Zero: Understanding Speculation in Video Games: https://www.amazon.com/World-Born-Zero-Understanding-Speculation/dp/3110718324Ranged Touch: https://rangedtouch.com/Game Studies Study Buddies Podcast: https://rangedtouch.com/game-studies-study-buddies/Bruno Latour, French Theorist and Philosopher: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruno_LatourAramis, or the Love of Technology: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aramis,_or_the_Love_of_TechnologyWolfram System Modeler: https://www.wolfram.com/system-modeler/Philosophical Chemistry: Genealogy of a Scientific Field: https://www.amazon.com/Philosophical-Chemistry-Genealogy-Scientific-Field/dp/1474286402

🖥️ | Learn more: https://www.scruminc.com/📆 | Schedule a Free Consultation: https://www.scruminc.com/consulting/🎧 | Subscribe and listen to The Agile CEO on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more.

In this episode of Season 2 of The Agile CEO, JJ Sutherland sits down with General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, First Sea Lord of the Royal Navy, to explore how agility is transforming one of the world’s oldest and most tradition-bound institutions.

As the senior leader of tens of thousands of sailors and marines, Jenkins has seen firsthand how rigid bureaucracies stall decision-making and threaten mission readiness. In this candid conversation, he shares why he chose to go “all-in” on Scrum, how breaking down rank and hierarchy liberated his people, and why time—not resources—is the greatest risk any leader faces.

From reorganizing centuries of tradition to turning agility into a warfighting capability, Jenkins reveals what it takes to lead through complexity, inspire high performance, and create teams that move at the pace of relevance.

If you are a leader navigating bureaucracy, entrenched systems, or the pressures of modern competition, this episode shows how agility can cut through complexity and unlock speed, resilience, and purpose.

Schedule a free consultation with Scrum Inc. and mention The Agile CEO. Don’t forget to subscribe, watch, and listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more.

🖥️ | Learn more:⁠⁠ https://www.scruminc.com/⁠⁠📆 | Schedule Free Consultation: ⁠⁠https://www.scruminc.com/consulting/