mike januszewski

the worse, the better

The worse the situation, the greater the opportunity for meaningful change.
A crisis creates a readiness for transformation that comfort could never achieve.

A crisis reveals the truth about an organization – when everything falls apart, you can finally see where the real problems lie.

In 2019, I joined a corporation where a 200-person team had not delivered anything for 18 months. Panic, blame games, heroics. Everyone was looking for someone to blame or for a “silver bullet.” I started with questions: What’s blocking the flow? Which decisions are we making over and over again?

It turned out that 85% of the work was stuck in “almost done” status, and priorities changed every week. We introduced aging WIP reviews, flow limits, and clear classes of service. After 10 weeks – the first deliveries; after 90 days – a predictable delivery rhythm.

I look where it hurts. I don’t seek easy paths or popular solutions. A crisis is a signal that the system needs repair – and the best opportunity to make it happen. The biggest breakthroughs are born in the hardest moments, when the organization is ready for real change.

If you find yourself in such a situation, I’m here for you.

there is no simple explanation what I do in Enterprise…

for the Community:

  • Official translation of Scrum@Scale Guide: scrumatscale.com
  • Polish Agile Association: agile.org.pl
  • 4 cycles of free Agile Coach Mentoring programs

about me

I’m a pragmatic, product-centric and value-focused Leadership Coach & Enterprise Agile Coach.

Systems-thinker, with superb record of boosting organizational effectiveness. Go-to for advanced expertise on tools and techniques.

Exceptional cross-functional liaison, challenger and catalyst for sustainable change. Scrum enthusiast, not an evangelist.

How I work

  • Only real outcomes, no “coaching for the sake of coaching” – we work toward something: decisions, priorities, results. If it doesn’t translate into business value and real behaviors, we stop and change the approach.
  • We start with a clear problem and hypotheses – we establish a shared language of value, outcomes, and behaviors so we can “see the same thing” faster and not lose the purpose in the tools.
  • Partnering with leaders – we build leadership capacity to organize priorities, set conditions for execution, and reach decisions without politics.

Appointment – no strings attached

Go back

Zaproszenie wysłane. Odpowiem.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What typical problems do I solve? Here’s a handful of example questions that often come up when working with clients. Do any of these sound familiar?


  • What role does timing play in leading change?

    Timing is crucial – I initiate changes during natural transitions (new quarter, reorganization, onboarding). I avoid periods of high organizational stress, when focus shifts to survival rather than learning.


  • How to lead change in an organization with a strong existing culture?

    I don’t fight culture, but work with its elements. I identify cultural assets supporting change and build on them. Cultural transformation is evolutionary, not revolutionary.


  • How to objectively assess coaching process quality?

    Observe behavioral shifts during sessions: ratio of questions to statements, deliberate pauses before answering, and exploration of alternatives—leading indicators of organizational change effectiveness.


  • Can change be designed in an agile way?

    Yes, I use the “minimal viable change” approach – the smallest change that creates measurable impact. Then I iterate based on feedback, which reduces risk and increases adoption through participatory design.


  • Does every change need change champions?

    Yes, though not always formal ones. Sometimes they are natural influencers, sometimes subject matter experts. The key is identifying people whose opinions carry weight and engaging them in designing the change, not just in communicating it.


  • How do we build accountability without micromanagement?

    We define simple decision scopes, decision logs, and a cadence of outcome reviews. Autonomy lives within boundaries, transparency replaces micro-control.