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Markus Leonard

President at Markus Leonard LLC

Austin, United States

Markus Leonard is a leadership strategist, Agile transformation coach, and the founder of the Agile Leadership Challenge (ALC). With over two decades of experience working with executives, coaches, and teams, he helps leaders move beyond frameworks and drive real business agility—not just compliance-driven Agile.

Markus, an author, coach and trainer, challenges traditional leadership models, advocating for Outcome-Driven Leadership (ODL)—a practical approach that ties Agile execution to measurable business impact. His insights have guided leaders at Fortune 500 companies, startups, and global enterprises in navigating the complexities of transformation.

When he’s not coaching leaders or writing about Agile’s more profound challenges, Markus shares his insights on LinkedIn (@markusleonard), engaging thousands of Agile professionals in thought-provoking discussions.

Available For: Advising, Authoring
Travels From: Dallas, Texas
Speaking Topics: Agile Leadership

Markus Leonard	Points
Academic	0
Author	1
Influencer	0
Speaker	0
Entrepreneur	0
Total	1

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Thought Leader Profile

Portfolio Mix

Markus Leonard LLC

President

markusleonard.com

Company Type: Company

Minimum Project Size: $1,000+

Average Hourly Rate: $150-$199

Number of Employees: 1-10

Company Founded Date: Undisclosed

Areas of Expertise

Agile 30.03

Business Strategy 30.03

Change Management

Coaching

DevOps

GRC 30.04

Industry Experience

High Tech & Electronics

Professional Services

Telecommunications

Travel & Transportation

Publications & Experience

1 Author Newsletter

Fake Agile: Why Most Organizations Reduce Agility to a Compliance Exercise
LinkedIn Newsletter
March 09, 2025

Agile Done Right Is a Competitive Advantage—Fake Agile Undermines Market Position

Agile is not just a process; it is a strategic differentiator when implemented correctly. Companies that embed Agile into their business strategy can outlearn, outmaneuver, and outperform competitors. However, many organizations reduce Agile to a compliance exercise, confining it to IT and reinforcing rigid structures that slow them down.

The real reason Agile fails is not team execution—it is leadership misalignment. Without executive alignment, Agile collapses into a delivery mechanism that prioritizes outputs over outcomes.

Common Symptoms of Fake Agile:

Agile teams exist, but decision-making remains centralized.
Success is measured in velocity rather than market impact.
Scaling frameworks amplify dysfunction instead of fixing governance issues.

The Cost of Fake Agile:
Organizations that fall into this trap lose market responsiveness, erode team engagement, and waste millions on Agile transformations that do not deliver meaningful business impact.

What Real Agile Looks Like:

Align Agile to business strategy, not just IT execution.
Redesign governance for adaptive decision-making.
Shift from output-driven metrics to business impact metrics.
Fix leadership alignment before scaling Agile.

Agile is a leadership transformation, not just a team initiative. If leadership refuses to change, agility will remain an illusion. The key question is: Will we lead the transformation, or will we be the reason it fails?

See publication

Tags: Agile, Business Strategy, GRC