Patterns & Anti-Patterns for Business Agility with Jonathan Smart

🎙️ Is AI Just Really Advanced Prediction? What Enterprise Leaders Need to Know "It's a brilliant piece of marketing to call this technology AI — because it implies a level of reasoning and intelligence behind the tool that's not there." That bold claim from data-scientist-turned-consultant Sahil Panicar sets the tone for a frank, hype-free conversation recorded live at SAFe Summit 2026 in Amsterdam. Joined by Atlassian's Zach Brown and host Raghurani from Accenture, the trio unpacks what today's AI actually is (predictive, not deductive), why companies are bleeding money on "AI sprawl," and what individuals and enterprises should really be doing to get value from these tools. If you've felt the pressure to "go get AI" without knowing why, this episode is your reset button. 👤 Guests Saahil Panikar — CIO of Atlas Revolutions, SAFe SPCT & Fellow, former data scientist. Specializes in lean portfolio management, value-stream management, and cyber-physical systems. Zack Brown — Partner Solution Strategist at Atlassian. Helps partners understand Atlassian's product strategy and go to market with joint solutions. Host: Renaud Granier — Accenture Business Agility   ⏱️ Timestamps Time Topic 00:09 Introductions & guest backgrounds 02:21 Defining AI: Why LLMs are predictive, not intelligent 04:09 Practical advice: How individuals should approach AI 06:32 Business impact: Atlassian's Rovo and enterprise AI use cases 07:33 AI sprawl: The danger of investing millions without a clear problem 08:22 "Garbage in, garbage out" — Why data quality matters more than the model 10:28 Tactical quick wins vs. enterprise-grade AI success 13:44 Change management: Why training and adoption trump tooling 15:13 Gated gardens & RAG: Securing your AI's reference data 16:31 LLM licensing risks — What's happening with your data behind the scenes 17:32 Building adaptive, AI-native organizations 17:48 Individual takeaway: Get your hands dirty and experiment 20:34 Test the AI on something you're an expert in — the "newspaper test" 22:47 AI hype vs. AI sprawl — Two problems that have meshed together 25:01 Atlassian's approach: Enterprise-tuned, choice-driven, integration-first 28:39 Responsible AI operating models — the building blocks 29:27 Where to find the guests and continue the conversation 🔑 Key Takeaways AI is prediction, not reasoning. LLMs don't know when they're wrong — they predict what you want to hear based on billions of parameters. Don't invent the technology, then find a problem. Understand your workflows and data first; AI is a force multiplier that amplifies what already exists — good and bad. Beware AI sprawl. Dozens of siloed AI tools create more confusion, not less. Start with specific, high-value use cases. Data quality is non-negotiable. A "gated garden" (curated, secure data source) combined with RAG is essential for trustworthy AI outputs. Change management > tooling. Training, communication, and human-in-the-loop governance drive real ROI. Check your LLM licensing. Know what happens to your data when you use frontier models — many license agreements allow the provider to reuse your inputs. Start personally. Experiment with AI on something you're an expert in to understand its boundaries — then bring that competence to your organization. 📢 Call to Action Test an AI on something you're an expert in this week. Ask it questions where you already know the answers, see where it shines and where it breaks — and share what you learn with your team. That single step is where responsible AI adoption starts. Find more episodes and subscribe to stay ahead of the AI-in-enterprise conversation.

Hosts Alexis Williams and Christian Kelly round out their three-part conversation with special guest Fonz Morris, Lead Product Designer at Netflix. Fonz looks back on his journey from the East Coast to Silicon Valley, the importance of community building, and how taking advantage of opportunities like networking events helped him land his role at Netflix. He also delves into Netflix's culture, addressing myths about the company (yes he pays for his subscriptions!), and the value of optimistic and proactive work ethics. The conversation also touches on personal stories of resilience, passion for one's craft, and how sneakers can be a form of expression. You can find out more about how Atlassian and Accenture are helping businesses succeed at scaling enterprise agility on our home page http://accenture.com/atlassian

Atlassian’s Alexis Williams and Christian Kelly from Accenture host Fonz Morris, Lead Product Designer at Netflix, for Part Two of their sit-down in San Jose. Fonz shares his journey from focusing solely on product design to understanding and contributing to the business side of the equation, highlighting his experiences with startups, venture capital, and angel investors. The conversation explores how these experiences benefited him as he started his work at Netflix, ensuring products not only meet user needs but also contribute to business goals. He highlights the role of curiosity, mentorship, and alignment within teams at Netflix, emphasizing the balance he’s found between offering creative input, and understanding business objectives. You can find out more about how Atlassian and Accenture are helping businesses succeed at scaling enterprise agility on our home page http://accenture.com/atlassian

In Part One of their conversation with Fonz Morris, Lead Product Designer at Netflix, Alexis Williams from Atlassian and Christian Kelly of Accenture dive into the intricacies of value stream management. Fonz shares insights into his role at Netflix, focusing on solving acquisition and retention challenges, and the collaborative, cross-functional environment that keeps Netflix innovating. The conversation covers the company’s approach to complex problem-solving, with an emphasis on flexibility, putting people first, and always relying on testing and iteration. Fonz also shares how Netflix balances speed and execution, managing risks without sacrificing the brand's integrity. You can find out more about how Atlassian and Accenture are helping businesses succeed at scaling enterprise on our home page http://accenture.com/atlassian

Host Nick Polce sits down with Sheldon Rego, an Accenture Managing Director focusing on federal government, and Sumi Sran, Accenture's APAC Atlassian Partnership Lead. The three discuss the importance of agility within Federal Government agencies, and how Agile workflows differ between the private and public sectors. They explore how government agencies have shifted towards more agile, responsive frameworks in recent years, particularly post-Covid, to achieve cost-effective and timely outcomes. The conversation touches on the pivotal role of education in leadership, the need for aligning people, processes, and technology, and how enterprise agility can thrive in the government sector by adopting private sector strategies. They also address the challenges and opportunities posed by procurement cycles, hybrid models blending Agile and Waterfall methodologies, and the importance of continuous learning and adaptation to maintain momentum in agility initiatives. You can find out more about how Atlassian and Accenture are helping businesses succeed at scaling enterprise agility by surfing to our home page http://accenture.com/atlassian

Join hosts Alexis Williams and Steve Davis for Part Two of their conversation with Ken Spangler, the Executive Vice President of IT and CIO of Global Operation Technologies at FedEx. Ken shares the principles and strategies that allowed FedEx to achieve a successful transformation into a lean, agile enterprise. He discusses how their shift towards business agility with a focus on people and culture, as well as certified value, significantly improved efficiency and effectiveness of the company. He also emphasizes the critical role of a company culture that strives to make every FedEx experience outstanding. The conversation provides insights into how large organizations can successfully undergo transformative changes by adopting consistent frameworks and methodologies, ruthless prioritization, and significant adjustments in roles and responsibilities. You can find out more about how Atlassian and Accenture are helping businesses succeed at scaling enterprise agility by surfing to our home page. 

In Part One of their conversation with Ken Spangler, FedEx's Executive Vice President of IT, hosts Alexis Williams of Atlassian and Steve Davis of Accenture get a first-hand view of one of Fedex’s airplane hangars. In the center of the company’s Memphis hub, Spangler shares his experiences with enterprise agility, and how it has been instrumental in business growth, especially during the pandemic. He talks about the importance of common lean portfolio management, the critical role of organizational change management in driving transformation, and the significance of alignment, repetition and intentional design in business processes. Spangler also highlights the dynamic role of leadership in the whole process. You can find out more about how Atlassian and Accenture are helping businesses succeed at scaling enterprise agility by surfing to our home page.

Co-hosts Alexis Williams from Atlassian and Christian Kelly from Accenture continue their conversation with Wendy Zacchio, CIO at Zelis. They discuss the importance of enterprise agility and the challenges encountered while executing transformative strategies. Wendy shares her insights on the importance of common routines, systems and tools for organizational success. The discussion also covers effective decision-making processes, the role of data in business decisions, and the significance of technology in contemporary business models. The episode ends with parting advice for aspiring CIOs and the future implications of technological integration in businesses. You can find out more about how Atlassian and Accenture are helping businesses succeed at scaling enterprise agility by surfing to our home page.

Guest host Nick Polce, Business Agility Practice Lead at Accenture, speaks with Natalia Baryshnikova, GM and Head of Product, Enterprise Agility at Atlassian. Natalia discusses her role at Atlassian and her responsibilities in building strategy and products for customers. They talk about the tool Jira Align, originally Agilecraft, which helps companies connect strategy to execution. Natalia emphasizes the importance of bringing more flexibility to businesses to accommodate changing macroeconomic factors, and how enterprise agility can be obtained regardless of the size or structure of the organization. She also discusses the benefits of using Jira Align, including optimizing the flow of work and tracking the triangle of people, money, and work to drive strategic decision making. Natalia reveals that Atlassian is investing in roadmap capabilities, artificial intelligence, and strategic portfolio management to make better tools for executives and to break down data silos. You can find out more about how Atlassian and Accenture are helping businesses succeed at scaling enterprise agility by surfing to our home page http://accenture.com/atlassian

Guest host Nick Polce, Business Agility Practice Lead at Accenture, speaks with Jonathan Smart, Founder, Business Agility Coach and Leader at Sooner Safer Happier. Recorded live at the Agile Australia Conference, this conversation focuses on how psychological safety and Agile ways of working have to go hand in hand for any organization to truly change. Jonathan explains how relying on neuroscience can help teams and leaders embrace “flearning” (learning through failure), and continue to grow even through setbacks. You can find out more about how Atlassian and Accenture are helping businesses succeed at scaling enterprise agility by surfing to our home page http://accenture.com/atlassian