A year focused on learning, growth, and collaboration.
While 2024 focused on connection, 2025 was all about going deeper. We worked on growing in our roles and improving the tools that help us handle complex challenges. Through trainings, events, conversations, and experiments, we learned together. Here’s what we built, explored, and are carrying into the new year.
Agile Kitchen: A growing community
Our Agile Kitchen sessions continued to be a space where the community could come together to learn, reflect, and connect. In 2025, we hosted four sessions:
- Consent decision-making with Jef Cumps
- summer bbq edition with tracks on feedback and storytelling (by geneviève, philippe, and jan)
- leading with obeya with mark uijen de kleijn
- agile retrospectives with kristof van buggenhout
Each session offered a new perspective on the challenges teams face daily. We explored feedback culture, strategic alignment, and shared storytelling not just as ideas, but through honest conversations and exercises. The summer edition was a highlight, bringing together learning, grilled veggies, and campfire chats.
A year of OKRs
We strengthened our pioneers’ role in OKRs. Frank and Geneviève led several OKR training sessions, webinars, and in-company workshops.
The most significant shift we noticed? More and more teams are moving beyond the tool and into the mindset. OKRs are no longer a framework on paper. They’ve become a conversation about focus, intent, and learning.
Exploring AI’s place in Agile work
Our colleague Frederik tackled one of the biggest questions of the year: how do we adopt AI without compromising what makes agile teams effective?
He introduced the AI-agile alignment canvas to help teams look at AI in terms of values, people, and results. The blog reached beyond our network and started honest conversations in teams.
In his words:
“There’s a quiet risk in adopting AI tools too quickly. You might gain efficiency, but lose trust. The best agile teams thrive on psychological safety, human connection, and shared purpose. Let’s not trade those away for automation.”
Trainings that keep delivering value
Our certified Scrum Master and Product Owner trainings continued to be a key part of what we offer. We welcomed returning clients and new participants and saw increased interest in practical, people-focused facilitation.
At the same time, our in-company trainings reached many types of organizations, from public sector teams to fast-growing scale-ups. Our main message stayed the same: agile is a mindset, not just a set of rules.
What we’re learning as scrum practitioners
- Facilitation is becoming a key skill, not just for Scrum masters but across roles.
- Agile leaders are focusing more on coaching than on controlling.
- Psychological safety is the foundation for continuous improvement.
- Product thinking is moving upstream, closer to strategy.
Team, culture, and community
In 2025, we welcomed three new colleagues: Dimitri (agile coach), Pauline (scrum master and agile coach), and Sigrid (sales and operations). Each brought fresh energy, new perspectives, and valuable expertise to our team.
We shared summer reading tips, reached 3,000 LinkedIn followers, and went to industry events such as HRtech, Day of the Project Manager, and XP Days.
Pauline visited Toyota Madrid to learn more about lean leadership. Kris and Frederik represented Ilean at the Global Scrum Gathering in Munich. Eva joined Copilot on tour in Paris to help with UCBS’s agile transformation.
Stronger as a team
Our team days in June and December gave us time to reflect, grow, and connect. We reviewed what we learned, what we want to keep, and where we want to improve. Brainstorms and walks in the woods helped us find clarity and connection.
As 2025 ends, we’re proud of what we’ve achieved, the impact we’ve made, and the community we belong to.
So what do we take with us into 2026?
- The power of rhythm and visibility, as seen in our Obeya work
- The importance of psychological safety, especially in AI-augmented environments
- The need for ownership and clarity, whether through OKRs or Agile leadership
- Learning happens when people come together, ask questions, and challenge what they know.
We’re ready to keep going. Dates for our 2026 trainings are live, new Agile Kitchen sessions are on the way, and our team is as curious as ever.
Thank you to everyone who joined a training, attended an event, read a blog, or shared a conversation. Let’s keep learning, building, and leading better.
Explore our upcoming trainings: https://ilean.be/what-we-do/training/
Let’s talk about how we can support your team: info@ilean.be