Let's face it- Agile has become a codeword for let's micromanage software developers while increasing the pressure on them to deliver. My theory is that Ken Schwaber and Jeff Sutherland came up with Scrum in order to limit management's ability to screw up software development in corporate settings. That was mixed with some observations about the need for iteration, not doing upfront work when it's wasteful (and it's…
When the estimating meetings happen without you and you're told "we think this will take you five story points" (that is, two and a half days) and then the build is broken for three weeks (because of all the people checking in code in a panic) and you're called on the carpet for being behind, then it's an atomic clusterfuck.
You're in a circle of managers and PMs.
"We're concerned about your burn-down rate."
"I'm concerned about your ability to manage a project more complex than calling the elevator to your floor."
"Are you going to be done . . . today?"
"Is the build going to fucking work . . . today, or any time in the near future?"
Then the circle jerks (none of whom has written a working line of code in five years, yet they've somehow "shipped stuff") gabble amongst themselves for a minute, look confuxed, dismiss you and call in the next developer.
"Spartacus, you're next!"
This'll be good.