Scrum and other agile methods focus on team roles and dynamics, and because of the emphasis on self-organizing teams, there’s sometimes a misconception that there’s no need for a manager. In reality, good people management can help an agile team thrive—the manager just has to know how to empower the team.

There are people who will use "being agile" to justify software engineering practices that could be perceived as lazy or even bad. The specifications are going to change, they say, so it would be a waste to engineer more to begin with than the minimum viable product. What's expediency and what's just poor practice?

Studies have found that natural environments can promote positive emotions and heighten physical and mental energy. If you're feeling stressed in the office, try to go outside briefly, take a short walk, commune with the trees if you’re able, and get back to work. You just might feel reinvigorated.