The Difference Between Being Agile And Doing Agile: Tori Sutherland

What separates organisations that deliver from those that stay busy?In this episode of the Everyday Agile Podcast, Jac sits down with digital transformation leader Tori Sutherland to discuss leadership, agile transformation, digital delivery, public-sector transformation, and what organisations need to do to become truly agile.Drawing on her experience leading digital public services in the NHS and now working independently, Tori shares insights on:✅ Why most organisations focus on the wrong things during agile transformations✅ The difference between doing Agile and being Agile✅ Leadership behaviours that appear when pressure increases✅ Building trust and empowering teams to deliver outcomes✅ Why stand-ups and Scrum ceremonies won't automatically make you faster✅ Managing change fatigue and continuous delivery environments✅ How to prioritise when everything feels urgent✅ Freelancing, burnout recovery and building a sustainable businessIf you're a leader, transformation professional, Agile Coach, Scrum Master, Product Manager or anyone interested in improving organisational delivery, this episode is packed with practical insights.▶︎Key TopicsAgile transformationLeadership under pressureDigital transformationNHS digital deliveryOrganisational designHigh-performing teamsProduct deliveryChange managementContinuous improvementPublic sector transformation▶︎Connect with ToriLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/torisutherland/▶︎ Not Another Agile Conference 2027 tickets are now available.https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867▶︎Newsletter https://betweenthestandups.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips▶︎Chapters 00:00 Introduction & Welcome00:50 Meet Tori Sutherland01:36 Why Tori Chose Digital Transformation03:08 What Organisations Get Wrong About Agile03:50 Going Freelance Without a Safety Net05:10 Why People Should Ask for More Help06:09 The Leadership Conversations We Need to Have07:12 Are Organisations Really Set Up to Deliver?09:14 Sprinting a Marathon: The Delivery Trap10:20 Leadership Behaviours Nobody Challenges12:00 Trust, Empowerment & High-Pressure Delivery13:46 What Separates High-Performing Teams?15:22 Prioritising When Everything Feels Urgent17:00 Circle of Control vs Organisational Influence19:25 What Great Leadership Looks Like Under Pressure21:34 Building Trust as an External Consultant23:48 The Biggest Myth in Agile26:00 Why Agile Practices Alone Don't Increase Speed28:06 Change Fatigue & Continuous Delivery30:29 Creating Space to Improve Delivery31:11 Are We Creating Better Leaders?33:45 Building a Freelance Business34:23 Avoiding Burnout & Protecting Your Energy36:50 The Problem with Optimisation Culture37:48 Lifestyle Business vs Scale Business39:35 Tori's Favourite Leadership Principle41:28 What's Next for Tori?43:04 Where to Connect with Tori43:53 Not Another Agile Conference 2027About Everyday AgileThe Everyday Agile Podcast explores leadership, delivery, product development, organisational transformation and practical ways of working with people who are helping organisations deliver better outcomes.