Agile Isn’t Failing—Your Feedback Loops Are
Why delay, distortion, and dismissal break continuous improvement—and how to fix it.
TL;DR
Agile doesn’t fail because of process—it fails when feedback loops break down. This post gives you the tools to spot the hidden breakdowns (delay, distortion, dismissal) and shows how to fix them using the F.I.X. Framework. It also includes a full Feedback Loop Toolkit with tests, visuals, and worksheets—available to paid subscribers.
Agile Isn’t Failing. But Your Feedback Might Be.
You’ve done the standups.
You’ve held the retros.
You’ve demoed the work.
Still, something’s off.
Velocity is stable. Output is high. But insight is low.
Morale is flat. And no one seems to know why things aren't getting better.
It’s not your Agile process that’s broken.
It’s your feedback loop—and you might not even know it.
Your Feedback Loop Might Be Lying to You
(F.I.X.-Aligned Diagnostic)
What looks like Agile failure is often a mindset or system issue:
Focus gets blurred
Iteration gets blocked
eXcellence gets ignored
Here are the three most common ways feedback loops quietly fail—and what to do about them.
1. Delay – You Can’t Iterate on What Arrives Too Late
F.I.X. Breakdown: Iterate is blocked
Bias at Play: Hindsight bias, Outcome bias
Hard Truth:
You’re not learning—you’re lagging. When feedback only shows up post-mortem, it’s too late to act.
Where It Shows Up:
Product managers gather feedback after go-live
Teams hold retros but surface nothing during the sprint
Leaders wait for end-of-month data dumps
Mini Case:
A digital banking team released a new feature. Complaints spiked. But no one raised it until the quarterly review. By then, damage to customer trust was done.
Fix It:
Shorten the loop. Use daily pulses, mid-sprint insights, and live demo reactions.
Tool:
[Use the FAST Feedback Test – Team Edition] to assess if your current rhythm is timely.
Reflection Prompt:
Where are you hearing feedback too late to act on it?
Owner:
Scrum Master or Delivery Lead
2. Distortion – You Can’t Focus If the Truth Is Filtered
F.I.X. Breakdown: Focus is blurred
Bias at Play: Authority bias, Social desirability bias
Hard Truth:
If people don’t feel safe to say what’s true, you’re not hearing reality. You’re hearing what’s safe.
Where It Shows Up:
Team members sugar-coat pain points
Managers edit reports to avoid scrutiny
Feedback is vague or euphemistic
Mini Case:
A global tech team underperformed for six sprints. Yet all RAG statuses stayed green. No one wanted to confront a senior leader's decisions—until a resignation forced the issue.
Fix It:
Build psychological safety structurally. Rotate facilitators. Use anonymous inputs.
Tool:
Map your team’s honesty bottlenecks with the Feedback Loop Heatmap.
Reflection Prompt:
What feedback isn’t being said out loud—and why?
Owner:
Team Lead or Functional Manager
3. Dismissal – You Can’t eXcel If You Ignore the Data
F.I.X. Breakdown: eXcel is avoided
Bias at Play: Confirmation bias, Status quo bias
Hard Truth:
Feedback gets collected—but not actioned. It dies in a doc. Teams lose trust. People stop offering it.
Where It Shows Up:
Feedback is logged but never closed
Backlog suggestions vanish
Managers listen but deprioritise
Mini Case:
A healthtech team raised burnout concerns three sprints in a row. Nothing changed. Three people left. In exit interviews: “We raised it. No one acted.”
Fix It:
Close the loop. Make acting on feedback a tracked delivery item.
Tool:
Map your real process with the Feedback Flow Canvas. Track where feedback gets dropped.
Reflection Prompt:
What feedback have you heard multiple times—but never acted on?
Owner:
Product Owner or Executive Sponsor
Want to Repair Your Feedback Loops?
Get the FAST Feedback Test Free and the full F.I.X. Feedback Loop Toolkit for hands-on change:
FAST Feedback Test (Frequent - Accurate - Safe - Timely) – Self-assess team health
Feedback Loop Heatmap – Diagnose weak signals
Feedback Flow Canvas – Map where feedback fails
Excel Workbook – Pre-built sheets for team sessions
Subscribe below to unlock the full toolkit.
Missed a post in the series? Catch up here:
Why Agile Fails – 12 Week Series:
Share This With a Team That’s Stuck
Know a team looping without learning?
Forward this post or share on LinkedIn:
“Agile isn’t failing. Your feedback loop might be.”
Tag @JohnMcLaughlan and use #FIXframework or #AgileMindsetMastery
Subscribe to unlock the full toolkit and get access to
Feedback Loop Heatmap – Diagnose weak signals
Feedback Flow Canvas – Map where feedback fails
Excel Workbook – Pre-built sheets for team sessions
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