Agile is not for everyone. Agility is.

The ongoing discussions among professionals from various fields about Agile, its future, and the latest buzz topics like AI, often feel increasingly irrelevant to me as time goes on.

As I've mentioned before, I firmly believe that "Agile," as it's commonly sold by consultants and consultancy firms, is dead. By "Agile," I mean the packaged solution often pushed as a one-size-fits-all approach to organizational issues. Many will argue, "But we evaluate the situation before offering a solution." Sure, you might evaluate, but more often than not, the solution you present is essentially the same regardless of the specifics of the organization. In the end, what you're selling is often little more than a repackaged version of something that’s been done before—essentially, snake oil.

What becomes clearer with every passing day is that an organization striving to become more agile needs to let go of the obsession with trends. It also must accept the reality that achieving full agility may never be entirely possible or practical.

As I've said previously, every corporation, regardless of its size or industry, has relationships with external entities. And because we operate within a legal framework, these relationships are often formalized through contracts. Until these external organizations also embrace the principles of agility, constraints will remain—especially with contracts, as they are a reflection of the type of relationship you have with those entities.

So, what can we do in this situation?

I may be repeating myself, as I’ve discussed this in other articles, but the answer always starts with asking why. Why do you want to pursue this transformation? Why do you need it, and more importantly, do you need it at all?

Perhaps a full-scale transformation is not necessary. Maybe it would disrupt your business model more than it would help. The goal should always be improvement and growth—not a complete overhaul that risks making things unmanageable. There’s a difference between evolving to become more agile and blindly adopting methodologies that may not suit your organization’s needs.

All organizations can—and should—benefit from agility. However, not all of them require or would benefit from a full-fledged Agile transformation.

All organizations can—and should—benefit from agility. However, not all of them require or would benefit from a full-fledged Agile transformation. Agility, as a mindset and approach, can be adapted and integrated in various ways, drawing from different frameworks, methods, and techniques. This is where cherry-picking comes in: organizations need to be selective and pragmatic. Instead of adhering to a single rigid framework, it’s often more effective to mix and match elements from multiple sources that best address the unique challenges and needs of the business. Better yet, create your own!

To truly understand the potential impact of any approach, you need to be objective and conduct a deep inspection of your business. Ask yourself: What do you need? What problems are you trying to solve, and which methods or techniques will help you address those problems most effectively? It’s not about following a trend or adhering to the latest management buzzword—it's about finding practical, sustainable ways to improve and evolve.

This advice applies not only to your IT department but to every part of your organization. Today, there are countless frameworks, tools, models, and methodologies available to help you improve. From OKRs and Flight Levels to Scrum, Kanban, Management 3.0, or even something as simple as using a Visual Radiator, there’s a vast array of options to choose from. The key is to find what works best for you and your team.

And here's the thing: you don't have to fully adopt any of these frameworks or tools. In fact, it’s often more effective to learn from them and adapt their principles to suit your own unique reality. You don't need to rigidly follow every guideline—tailor the concepts to your needs.

However, there’s an important caveat. If you decide to cherry-pick from different approaches or even create your own version inspired by existing methodologies, it’s crucial that you first learn them thoroughly. I mean really learn them—not just skim through a simple guide or watch a couple of videos on YouTube. And definitely not just rely on whatever you might hear in a casual conversation with someone, even if they claim to be an expert.

Each methodology, framework, or tool has its own set of intricacies, nuances, and deeper principles that only come from genuine study and practice. To truly understand and apply them effectively, you need to dive deeper than surface-level knowledge. Without this deeper understanding, you risk misapplying these tools or misunderstanding their true value.

And yes, for this part, you may need to hire someone with experience to guide you—someone who can provide real expertise. But be cautious: if they promise you a "silver bullet" solution or make grandiose claims about a one-size-fits-all approach, it’s a red flag. These are not the people you need. True experts understand that there is no single quick fix, and the real work comes from helping you adapt and grow in a sustainable way.

If they promise you a "silver bullet" solution or make grandiose claims, it's a red flag.

In conclusion, organizations must understand that agility isn’t a destination—it's a continuous journey. And while some may benefit from adopting a specific Agile framework, others may find more value in adapting a combination of methods that best suit their culture, their people, and their strategic goals. There is no universal path to agility, and the key lies in knowing what works for you.

The best organizations are those that remain adaptable, flexible, and open to change without falling into the trap of following the next big trend just because it's popular.