Management 3.0 + unFIX
Author: Jurgen Appelo
A Homecoming and a New Beginning
After seven years of exploring different brands and business models—some that fizzled and others that soared—I’m returning to the foundation that first established me as an author, speaker, and entrepreneur. But I’m not returning empty-handed; I’m bringing along my most successful recent experiment.
The Management 3.0 team and the unFIX team are joining forces.
We’re building something new together. And if there’s one thing that gets my adrenaline pumping, it’s venturing into uncharted territory.
Management 3.0: A Legacy Evolves
When I launched the Management 3.0 brand 15 years ago, I never imagined it would still be thriving today. Yet, here we are: a decade and a half later, with books, workshops, and games that have inspired a global community. Even after I stepped away in 2017 to chase new adventures, the incredible team behind Management 3.0 continued to grow its reach and reputation. And let’s not forget the work of many engaged facilitators who have been actively involved in Management 3.0 along the way.
Still, wherever I go, people recognize me as the movement's founder, originator, and thought leader. Now, it’s time for the next chapter.
Management and leadership remain critical topics, but the world of work is evolving rapidly. The challenges we face today are a far cry from when I first wrote the book. Everyone in the Agile community seems to be reinventing themselves, and Management 3.0 is no exception. As we move into a new era of work, I’m ready to dive back in and help redefine what management and leadership mean in the age of AI and beyond.
unFIX: A Breakthrough Experiment
Three years ago, I launched the unFIX brand with modest expectations. What followed exceeded anything I could have imagined: a successful conference, a growing partner network, a popular Miro plugin, and a slew of workshops and talks. We demonstrated a glaring gap in standard agile frameworks—organization design—and provided a practical solution with our pattern library, like a LEGO set for organizational building blocks.
However, organization design is only one piece of the puzzle. Most companies don’t start their transformation journeys there. They need stronger leadership, smarter governance, a relentless focus on customer experience, and the agility to adapt to a fast-changing, AI-driven business landscape.
Why Not Both?
At a recent conference, someone asked me, “Why don’t Management 3.0 and unFIX collaborate? They seem like a perfect match.” I smiled, offering a diplomatic response while secretly knowing the wheels were already turning.
It’s true: both brands are at a crossroads. Management 3.0 brings leadership practices, while unFIX offers organizational design patterns. Together, they can create something far more impactful than either could achieve alone.
One Team, One Vision
To our Management 3.0 co-owners and facilitators, and our unFIX partners and community members: I owe you an apology for the radio silence. Over the past weeks, the two teams have been working behind the scenes—getting to know each other, aligning on purpose, values, branding, and business plan. We’ve already come to one clear conclusion: we must operate as one team.
For now, the companies (Management 3.0 BV and The unFIX Company BV) will function as a joint venture, but this is merely a formality. To the outside world, we’re merging into a unified entity.
Charting a New Course
Merging two businesses—one with 15 years of history, the other a promising upstart—requires more than a few brainstorming sessions. We’re tackling everything: value propositions, audience segmentation, roles, responsibilities, revenue streams, and more. We’re consolidating technologies, eliminating redundancies, and validating hypotheses.
Our goal is to roll out a new business model in January 2025. Between now and then, we ask for your patience. We’ll be sharing updates along the way, but even with help from our AI assistants, some things simply take time. Merging two ecosystems is far more complex than launching a new product.
Excitement Ahead
Despite the challenges, I can’t remember the last time I felt this energized. We’re on the brink of something transformative, and I’m confident you’ll share my excitement when you see what’s coming.
Stay tuned!
Jurgen Appelo
Founder of The unFIX Company and Management 3.0
