Peeling away complexity – a visionary look at agility, simplicity, and more.

Hi, I’m Neil Walker — welcome.
This is my space to explore the real work of transformation: leading with agility, thinking in systems, and building better ways of working.
For over 30 years, I’ve helped organizations—from financial services to frontline social care—navigate complexity, adopt agile and product mindsets, and drive meaningful change that lasts. I’ve worked across the board: from coaching teams to advising execs, from recovering failing programmes to shaping new operating models.
Since the early 2000s, I’ve been writing and speaking about agile, business agility, and transformation—long before they were hashtags. I’ve shared ideas, sparked conversations, and built communities (even before Twitter became “X”).
What ties it all together? A deep belief in the power of simplicity, adaptability, and human-centered change.
Whether you’re here to learn, rethink, or just get unstuck—you’re in good company.
Latest insights
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Lean Product Management: A Practical Guide to Building Value
In a landscape where speed, innovation, and customer satisfaction are paramount, product management has steadily shifted from heavy upfront planning to more nimble, user-focused, and iterative approaches. Lean Product Management embodies this shift by emphasizing efficiency, customer feedback, and the…
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Management 3.0: Leading Agile Teams in a Complex World
In the dynamic landscape of modern work, traditional management approaches often struggle to keep pace with the complexity and speed of change. Enter Management 3.0, an approach that redefines leadership for today’s challenges, focusing on empowering teams, fostering innovation, and…
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Why Sticky Notes and Workshops Power Creative Collaboration
In the world of product teams and agile organizations, sticky notes and workshops are more than just colorful distractions—they’re tools that unlock collective intelligence. Whether you’re brainstorming the next feature or mapping a user journey, sticky notes let you make…
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Reflecting on the Shift: From Answer Man to Empowered Leader
Last week I wrote about Lessons from Intent-Based Leadership, the shift from being the “answer man” to an empowered leader, a transformative but not easy journey. It requires a mindset change, self-awareness, and a willingness to let go of habits…
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From Answer Man to Empowered Leader: Lessons from Intent-Based Leadership
For much of my career, I prided myself on being the “answer man.” I’d spent tens of thousands of hours developing expertise in a range of specialisms. People came to me with problems, and I responded with solutions, drawing on…
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Build Leadership Agility: Why Command-and-Control Will Kill Agility
Leadership is often the deciding factor in whether an organization succeeds or struggles in its agility journey. Yet, many organizations cling to command-and-control leadership styles, believing that tighter oversight leads to better outcomes. It doesn’t. If you want to derail…
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Agility over Agile
“Agility over Agile” is a concept that emphasizes the importance of being adaptable and responsive to change, rather than strictly adhering to the methodologies or frameworks commonly associated with Agile as used in projects and product development. Here’s why this…
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