In the world of Agile delivery, flexibility is celebrated. Iterations evolve, priorities shift, and plans adapt. But for me, amidst all this movement, there are three non-negotiables I hold onto tightly. They’re not buzzwords, they're simple principles that shape how I lead, build trust, and deliver value.

1. Clarity over comfort

We often avoid uncomfortable and slightly awkward conversations. The difficult retros, the unclear roles & responsibilities, the sometimes misaligned expectations….because they’re, well, awkward. But without clarity, we risk ambiguity, miscommunication, and misdelivery. I’ve learned that clarity, even when uncomfortable, is always better than false harmony. Whether it’s aligning stakeholders, setting sprint goals, or resolving blockers, I push for transparency. Teams thrive when everyone knows what’s expected and why.

2. Progress not perfection

Perfection gets in the way of progress. Waiting for the perfectly groomed backlog or perfect ‘Ways of Working’ processes often means missing the opportunity entirely. I champion the 80/20 rule: get it good enough to test, learn, and improve. This mindset empowers teams to ship value early and often, and creates a safe space to iterate and adapt. It's better to move forward with good enough than stall chasing flawless.

3. People first, always

Ways of Working and processes are important. Tools are useful. But none of it works without the people. As a Delivery Lead, I believe my role is to create the environment where people can do their best work. That means listening, removing friction, and making space for diverse voices. It means advocating for team wellbeing as much as timelines. Delivery isn’t just about velocity or burndown charts, it’s about enabling people to deliver brilliant outcomes together.

So, let’s be honest, delivery can sometimes get chaotic, fast. But having a few solid principles in your back pocket keeps things steady when everything else is shifting.

So whether you’re fresh into Agile or steering a giant ship of digital transformation, take a minute to figure out your own non-negotiables.

About the author: I am Luisa Van Der End; a Lead Delivery Consultant with over 12 years’ experience, starting my career in PMO and Scrum Master roles. My career has taken me through Retail, FinTech, and more recently, large scale Digital Transformation in Healthcare. These days, I’m engaged on programmes to consult on delivery best practices - helping teams improve how they work, lead with clarity, and deliver value at pace. Across every sector, one thing holds true: strong delivery starts with strong principles.