The Sriracha Sauce of High-Performance Teams: Adam Josephs on Risk Up Front

Author: Ben Maynard & Adam Josephs
Published: Thu 22 May 2025
Episode Link: None

In this episode, host Ben Maynard is joined by Adam Josephs, the co-author of Risk Up Front, to explore the gritty truth behind high-performance teams and why rigour, not ruthlessness, is the key ingredient in complex, high-stakes environments.

If you’ve ever wondered why your team’s best intentions still lead to delays, late changes, or misaligned delivery, this conversation offers a refreshing and practical dive into the principles of execution discipline. Adam shares his “Sriracha Sauce” approach to teamwork—spicy, precise, and exactly what’s missing from your current playbook.

Drawing from decades of experience consulting for companies like Goldman Sachs and Microsoft, Adam discusses how upgraded conversations about commitment, integrity, and risk can transform how we lead, plan, and deliver. Plus, we get a sneak peek into Ruffy, the risk coaching AI that sounds a lot like your favourite comedian.

🧠 What You’ll Learn

Why late changes—not bad intentions—derail most projects
How to uncover “don’t know you don’t know” risks through structured conversations
What it takes to bring clarity and ownership to team commitments
The power of specificity in turning worries into action
How engineering integrity into the small moments transforms culture

💥 Key Takeaways

“Without rigour, you don’t get performance—you get chaos dressed as collaboration.”
Accountability is a structure, not a personality trait
Integrity starts with turning up on time and knowing what you’ve committed to
Small acts of discipline create big shifts in team behaviour

🎯 Who This Is For

Agile and product coaches working in complex, fast-moving environments
Leaders looking to drive performance without micromanagement
Product professionals who want fewer surprises and stronger delivery
Transformation agents seeking practical tools to surface and address execution risks

Host Bio

Ben is a seasoned expert in product agility coaching, unleashing the potential of people and products. With over a decade of experience, his focus now is product-led growth & agility in organisations of all sizes.

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Ben Maynard

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Product Agility Podcast

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