When is the right time to introduce portfolio-level agility? Drawing from more than a decade of experience guiding enterprise transformations, Yuval argues that starting at the portfolio level—early—isn’t just helpful, it’s essential.
He walks listeners through a powerful case study involving a 1000-person delivery organization trapped in a waterfall-heavy, high-coordination setup. By introducing lightweight Portfolio Kanban and visual flow management before fixing the teams, the organization was able to gradually shift to a more outcome-oriented, product-focused structure.
* “The best time to start thinking about portfolio-level agility was when you started your agile journey. The second-best time? Now.”
* “You don’t need to wait for perfect teams to start fixing the system around them. In fact, doing it the other way around often fails.”
* “Portfolio-level practices give leaders massive leverage—they shape the environment teams operate in.”
* “Fixing what’s broken requires looking upstream—at how work is shaped, prioritized, and flows through the organization.”
* “Leaders who model outcome orientation, empiricism, and agility at the portfolio level create a ripple effect. Everything else becomes easier.”
* “Instead of waiting until the trenches are perfect, start by changing the terrain.”
* (00:23) The Best (and Worst) Time to Introduce Portfolio Practices
* (00:56) Misconceptions: “You Can’t Scale What’s Broken”
* (01:46) Case Study: A 1000-Person Delivery Org in Waterfall Hell
* (03:53) Visualizing Work and Creating Flow Transparency
* (05:04) Reorganizing Around Value and Embracing Change
* (05:42) Why Portfolio-Level Agility = Leadership Leverage
* (06:16) The Portfolio Agility Trail Map: Yuval’s Free Resource
* (08:38) Final Thoughts: Start with the System, Not Just the Teams
🔥 Ready to shift the system—not just the teams? Start with Yuval’s free Portfolio Agility Trail Map.
Yuval Yeret helps leaders maximize outcomes through strategic, nuanced agility. As a Product/Scaling/Agility-focused management consultant, SAFe Fellow, and Professional Scrum Trainer, he specializes in helping organizations evolve beyond agile theater into product-oriented agility.
Start your journey with his free email course:🎓 Scaling w/ Agility Crash CourseFollow Yuval's insights and conversations on LinkedIn:🔗 Yuval’s LinkedIn
