In this BONUS Global Agile Summit preview episode, we explore the concept of the “Agile Doom Loop” with Pete Oliver-Krueger and Michael “Agile Mike” Dougherty, co-authors of “Shift: From Product to People.” They share insights on recognizing when teams are stuck in endless cycles of planning, failure, and rework, and introduce their PAGES framework that helps teams break free and communicate effectively with leadership.
Recognizing the Agile Doom Loop
“When change doesn’t happen and there is nothing that seems to go anywhere, that’s when you know you’re in that doom loop, because we’re all about improving.”
The Agile Doom Loop is that dreaded feeling when teams get stuck in endless cycles with no real progress. Michael explains that a clear indicator is feeling “stuck in a rut” where the status quo becomes permanent. When teams are constantly planning and executing without seeing improvement, they’re trapped in the loop. This often happens when organizations lack psychological safety, making people afraid to speak up or try new approaches because it might be “career limiting.”
Warning Signs Your Team is Stuck
“Most teams can’t tell me what leadership wants. They’re like, ‘Oh, we just have to get the product done’ or ‘We have to deliver by this particular date.'”
Pete shares that when teams can’t articulate what leadership truly wants, it’s a warning sign. Teams stuck in the doom loop focus solely on delivering more stories without understanding the broader context or purpose. They don’t track whether their improvements are actually solving problems that matter to leadership. When teams feel they have no choice but to follow orders without questioning, they’ve lost the agency needed for continuous improvement.
Personal Experiences with the Doom Loop
“I’ve been fired for trying to change things more than once.”
Both Pete and Michael share personal experiences with the Agile Doom Loop. Michael shares the story of being in environments where people were afraid to be visible during meetings, keeping cameras off during virtual sessions out of fear of judgment. He describes seeing teams resist new ideas unless they came from management, showing how hierarchical thinking reinforces the doom loop. Communication breakdowns between leadership and teams create disconnects that feed the cycle of frustration and stagnation.
The PAGES Framework
“We basically took what we have to put in these quarterly business reviews and said to teams: ‘This is how you’re being represented at the organizational level, so you should participate in this.'”
