Like every trade, software engineering depends on a set of tools designed to help 'get the work done'. These tools can be hardware (e.g. laptops, servers, test equipment), software (e.g. languages, compilers, source control), or methodologies (e.g. agile, waterfall).

Each tool should be evaluated (and periodically re-evaluated) to see what its 'leverage factor' is for your situation. For every unit you put into it (time, effort, money) how much do you get out of it? The best tools give you a 10x or better leverage factor. If a tool gets in the way (i.e. it has a 1x or lower leverage factor) then it should be ignored.

Some tools are just bad (they take more time and effort to learn and to use than they save you) and are generally weeded out. Some are great for certain situations but bad for others.

If sprints (or any other tool) are not helping you and your team, then try to figure out why. Is the tool just not a great fit for our situation (e.g. using a hammer to try and fix a car engine)? Are we using it wrong? Is there something better?

Too many companies and managers go for the 'one size fits all' approach. "This worked at my last company so it must work here too!"