Reflections from Kanban Leadership Retreat 2025

Introduction

Matt Odell, CEO and Kanban University trainer, joined a global gathering of Kanban professionals at the Kanban Leadership Retreat 2025 (KLR25) in Bilbao, Spain, an immersive event hosted by Kanban University and the David Anderson School of Management.

Held in the spirit of peer-led learning, KLR25 brought together coaches, consultants, trainers, and change leaders from across continents to explore how organisations can evolve through better systems thinking, purposeful leadership, and modern agility.

The retreat follows a unique structure: during the opening evening, attendees pitch the topics they want to explore, from pressing challenges to experimental ideas. A round of dot voting follows, with the most compelling sessions scheduled across the retreat. It’s a simple but powerful way to ensure the agenda is shaped entirely by the participants, aligning content to what the community truly cares about.

Purpose-Led Practice and Real-World Transformation

This year’s retreat offered a diverse and relevant mix of topics, shaped entirely by the attendees. A standout session was James Enock’s case study on the transformation of an electric vehicle (EV) charging company, presented on behalf of Adaptavis. It was refreshing to see a real-world Kanban Method case study that demonstrated clear, measurable business benefits, including improvements in delivery predictability, reduced failure demand, and, critically, increased profitability.

The transformation integrated the Fit for Purpose Framework, Balanced Scorecard, and Objectives & Key Results (OKRs) to create a coherent and actionable leadership system. By aligning services to customer expectations and linking strategy to daily operations, the organisation was able to reduce overburden, improve flow, and prioritise initiatives that directly contributed to strategic outcomes.

Matt Odell contributed to this transformation as an associate, working in a parallel area of the business, giving him an inside view on how these methods can be applied at scale in a fast-evolving, commercially driven context. Read more about the case study here.

Other sessions explored how to assess and accelerate organisational maturity, especially in sectors where legacy structures and siloed thinking limit agility. These conversations offered practical, experience-backed approaches to supporting sustainable change in complex environments.

AI also emerged as a recurring theme at KLR25, with several discussions focused on how it can enhance coaching and training in the Kanban Method. The potential lies in using AI tools to increase access to the method’s comprehensive body of knowledge, helping practitioners and clients navigate guidance more easily, reinforce learning, and support self-paced development.

Rather than replacing coaches, the emphasis was on AI as an enabler, expanding reach and reinforcing good practice across wider teams.

At MilUX, this aligns with ongoing innovation: the team has developed an internal AI assistant that references not only Kanban Method materials but also a broader knowledge base spanning product management and user-centred design. This internal capability is already being explored as a way to support client learning journeys, accelerate onboarding, and enhance coaching engagements across complex environments.

Upstream Thinking and Demand Management

All participants also received a signed copy of Anna Radzikowska’s new book, Upstream Kanban: Tools for Demand Managers,  a practitioner-focused guide to managing the options before work begins.

Upstream Kanban shifts attention from delivery to decision-making, helping teams decide what to start, what to delay, and what to discard. It equips knowledge workers with techniques to manage options, not just flow, to reduce overburden, sharpen focus, and increase the likelihood of delivering real value.

The book aligns with principles taught in Kanban for Design and Innovation (KDI), a Kanban University course that is part of MilUX’s broader training offerings. The course helps practitioners establish upstream systems, manage incoming work more effectively, scale Kanban across the enterprise, and apply evolutionary change thinking to drive improvements. It also equips participants to engage stakeholders across organisational levels and create a balance between option preparation and execution, ensuring a steady, purpose-driven flow of work.

Investing in Capability, Strengthening Community

Matt’s participation in KLR25 reflects our continuing commitment to keeping MilUX at the forefront of modern working methods, where clarity, adaptability, and sustainable delivery are essential.

“It was great to meet new experts with a passion for evolutionary change and business agility. I’m really looking forward to continuing the learning journey and bringing that back into the defence sector, where having a system built for agility is not just relevant, but vital.”

The retreat also marked the launch of the Kanban+ Community Space,  a dedicated platform designed to extend the learning and collaboration sparked in Bilbao. With ongoing threads, shared resources, and open dialogue, it’s already becoming a valuable touchpoint for the global Kanban community.

Thanks to the organisers at Kanban University and the David Anderson School of Management for delivering such a well-curated and meaningful event, and to the many engaged participants from across Europe and beyond who contributed their insight, generosity, and expertise.

With exciting announcements from Kanban University on the horizon, KLR25 served as both a reflective and forward-looking experience, reinforcing the importance of community, clarity, and continuous learning in shaping the future of work.

We are already looking forward to participating in KLR26.