Mike Burrows
Bio
Key Books
Mike Burrows agreed to be an official supporter of Evolved, for which we are very grateful. But approval can be taken away at any time, as new information is learned.
Mike Burrows turns up in class from time to time.
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More Publications
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**Summary:**
Mike Burrows is the author of five influential books on Lean, Agile, Kanban, and outcome-oriented change:
- *Wholehearted* (2025)
- *Organizing Conversations* (2024)
- *Agendashift* (2nd ed. 2021)
- *Right to Left* (2019)
- *Kanban from the Inside* (2014)
He is also the author of important articles and series on Agendashift, Kanban, and organizational transformation, notably on InfoQ, where he shares practical guidance and thought leadership for leaders and practitioners in the Lean-Agile community.
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## Books
### 1. **Wholehearted: Engaging with Complexity in the Deliberately Adaptive Organisation**
**Author:** Mike Burrows
**Description:**
Burrows explores how organizations can thrive in complex environments by fostering deliberate adaptivity and wholehearted engagement. The book offers frameworks and practical guidance for leaders seeking to build resilient, learning-oriented organizations that respond effectively to change.
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### 2. **Organizing Conversations: Preparing Groups to Take on Adaptive Challenges**
**Author:** Mike Burrows
**Description:**
This book focuses on the art and science of organizing conversations that enable groups to address complex, adaptive challenges. Burrows provides tools, facilitation techniques, and real-world examples to help leaders and facilitators create the conditions for effective dialogue, learning, and action.
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### 3. **Agendashift: Outcome-oriented Change and Continuous Transformation** (2nd Edition)
**Author:** Mike Burrows
**Description:**
*Agendashift* introduces a participatory, outcome-oriented approach to change and continuous transformation. The book presents frameworks and tools for engaging all levels of an organization in co-creating meaningful change, emphasizing rapid experimentation, alignment with business vision, and a culture of continuous improvement.
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### 4. **Right to Left: The Digital Leader’s Guide to Lean and Agile**
**Author:** Mike Burrows
**Description:**
In *Right to Left*, Burrows reframes Lean and Agile thinking by focusing on outcomes, customer value, and end-to-end flow. The book guides digital leaders in shifting perspectives from process-centric to outcome-driven, providing actionable insights for leading successful transformations in modern organizations.
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### 5. **Kanban from the Inside**
**Author:** Mike Burrows
**Description:**
This foundational book explains the Kanban Method through the lens of its core values—transparency, balance, collaboration, customer focus, flow, and leadership. Burrows offers practical tools and real-world examples for implementing Kanban in organizations, making it a key reference for practitioners of Lean and Agile.
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## Books
### 1. **Wholehearted: Engaging with Complexity in the Deliberately Adaptive Organisation**
**Author:** Mike Burrows
**Publisher:** Agendashift Ltd
**Publication Date:** April 2025
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### 2. **Organizing Conversations: Preparing Groups to Take on Adaptive Challenges**
**Author:** Mike Burrows
**Publisher:** Agendashift Ltd
**Publication Date:** May 2024
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### 3. **Agendashift: Outcome-oriented Change and Continuous Transformation** (2nd Edition)
**Author:** Mike Burrows
**Publisher:** Agendashift Ltd
**Publication Date:** March 2021 (1st edition 2018)
**ISBN:** 978-1916235161
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### 4. **Right to Left: The Digital Leader’s Guide to Lean and Agile**
**Author:** Mike Burrows
**Publisher:** New Generation Publishing
**Publication Date:** 2019 (Audiobook 2020)
**ISBN:** 978-1789556870
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### 5. **Kanban from the Inside**
**Author:** Mike Burrows
**Publisher:** Blue Hole Press
**Publication Date:** 2014
**ISBN:** 978-0985305192
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## Important Articles
### 1. **Series on the Kanban Agendas (InfoQ)**
**Reference:** InfoQ, 2014–2015
**Description:**
Burrows authored a series of articles on InfoQ detailing the Kanban Agendas, expanding on the values and practices that underpin effective Kanban implementations. These articles explore how to align organizational priorities with Kanban’s principles for sustainable change and improvement.
