Agile 2.0: The Human Side of Digital Transformation

In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, we find ourselves surrounded by an ever-increasing array of tools, technology, frameworks, and methodologies promising to streamline our work and boost productivity. Yet, as we chase the next big thing, are we losing sight of what truly drives success?

As I've observed over my 20+ years in the industry, the key to unlocking extraordinary results isn't found in scaling frameworks or the latest tools. It's about people and connections. That is what I called it on September 14, 2016, when I delivered a webinar titled, “Agile 2.0 – It’s about people and connections!”

Why? Because in our rush to digitize everything, we risk forgetting that behind every screen, every line of code, and every product decision, there are people. Real, complex, brilliant people with the potential to achieve greatness when properly engaged and connected.

Remember Bloat, the puffer fish from Finding Nemo? After escaping the dentist's office, he found himself and his friends floating in a plastic bag in the ocean, asking, "Now what?" How many of us have felt the same way after attending a training session or learning a new framework? We've made it out of the fish tank, but we're still trapped in our own little bubbles, scared to break the bag and see what’s out there.

Agile 2.0 is about bursting those bubbles. It's about creating an environment where people can bring their whole selves to work, where they feel psychologically safe to share ideas, take risks, and yes, even make mistakes. It's about fostering connections that transcend our digital tools and remote work setups.

In the world of Agile 2.0:

1. We value mindfulness over mindless adherence to processes.
2. We prioritize psychological safety over rigid hierarchies.
3. We focus on building a culture of collaboration rather than just implementing collaboration tools.
4. We emphasize personal growth and team development alongside product development.

Think about the most successful teams you've been part of. I bet it didn’t have anything to do with the methodology you used. It was about working towards a shared vision, trust, commitment to a common goal and feeling that what you were doing had purpose. It succeeded because people came together to create something greater than the sum of their parts.

As we continue to navigate the digital age, let's not lose sight of the human element. Let's create workplaces where people can dream ambitious goals, believe in each other, take calculated risks, persevere through challenges, and share their stories of success and failure.

Agile 2.0 isn't about scaling your processes. It's about scaling your people's potential. It's about creating an environment where everyone can work at their full capacity, bringing their best selves to work every day.

Fred Kofman, Philosopher, former Vice President at Linkedin, and author of the book, Conscious Business said,

“No matter what type of business, the only way to generate a competitive advantage and long-term profitability is to attract, develop and retain talented employees. Less than one out of every four employees work at full potential.?

Half said they only do what’s necessary to keep their jobs and three out of four say they could be more effective than they are.? The good news is that there’s lots of room for improvement.? If companies could harness the lost energy, organizational performance would surge.”

Fred goes on to propose that companies that harness consciousness in their business culture allow employees at every level to be free to be their best and to do their best work while delivering value.?

Imagine what could be accomplished with everyone working at 100% and being the best they can at their jobs?

As we push forward in our digital transformation efforts, let's not forget that our greatest asset, our true competitive advantage, lies not in our tools or our frameworks, but in our people and the connections between them.

Are you ready to move beyond the methodology and focus on what really matters? Are you ready for Agile 2.0?