Agile - you're doing it wrong

Thankfully, in our team, we have to waste no sleep on wondering if any organisation that has a software-connected output needs to do it any other way than by becoming intensely Agile fast. 

Even more thankfully, the banks we work with, are crystal clear on that too. They are of course a small minority if we look at all the banks in the world and the only ones poised to develop true competitive advantage by using FinTech and delivering addictive propositions while their competitors still try to work out the connection. 

Where we differ, even with these courageous visionaries is the definition of "becoming Agile".

To some, as I've deplored many a times before, it's a restructuring organisational effort or worse, a PR exercise, whereas the companies who really reap benefits from it in the Valley and elsewhere in the world, live and breath it. 

If we imagine a continuum starting at "lip service" and ending in "religion" successful software houses are invariably closer to the latter than the former. And make no mistake about it, anyone who writes and manages even as much as a line of code in their organisation with the intention of making money is a software house. Furthermore, should your organisation be the elusive unicorn that has outsourced its every breath and is not a software house, you should still be Agile. 

Nobody argues that fundamentally changing is easy or pleasant so there's natural resistance even in these shops of best intentions. 

Leadership says: "We already approved this Agile thing, it's being done by HR and IT, we don't need to know what it is".

HR mutters: "We already reorganised the teams - isn't that it?" 

The former Prince certificate holders project management and development teams say: "We have a kanban board in the office/we do stand-ups/we have a Scrum master/someone is Product Owner/we are called a 'tribe" - we're clearly doing this"

The strategists theorise: "Why are we insisting on all these rules and processes, wasn't Agile was about being on your toes and winging it" 

At every level of the organisation there's resistance and most of it is perfectly natural.

We are, after all, asking professionals with years of education and experience to disregard it and go with their hearts and their guts instead. We are asking them to shake every learned habit and form new ones where they have to constantly be on their toes, constantly be curious, constantly dare and constantly and intensely dare. It's by no means an easy ask, on the contrary it's hard and exhausting and for now ingrate and we salute the ones who take the challenge on fully and forge ahead.

For these cool pioneers who truly want to get it done - here's a list of what to beware of in Agile transformations, in order to get it so right that it starts paying dividends faster

If you find yourself spending on armies of Agile coaches and Agile Enterprise Coaches - you're doing it wrong. You're only creating a shadow organisation with little chance of it ever dissolving to see yours stand on its own. 

If only "some parts of the organisation" are Agile with no plan to roll it out overall - you're doing it wrong. As we said time and again, Agile is a frame of mind not a software project delivery method, and it's not only beneficial, but painfully needed at every level of the organisation.

If anyone is the "Still-guy" i.e. "still has a dual role"; "is still expected to be involved in regular projects" or "still works in the old way too" - you're doing it wrong. This is not a special interest hobby or like that time when you had some office volunteers organise the annual Christmas party. 

If you find yourself ever saying "we can't go ahead with X, the budget for Agile stuff is finished" - you're doing it wrong. Does that mean the budget for operating is out? Should you close doors? It's simply a sign that Agile is a thing some department does with some money thrown its direction and not the real change it has to be in the minds of your leadership team. 

If anyone is uncomfortable around topics and wording such as "heart/passion", "purpose", "courage/bravery" and finds them to be to be fluffy and un-corporate; if you never discuss whether or not your people are trained and willing to take personal responsibility and redefine ownership; if you spent no time on the WOT (Way of Thinking) to get the WOW (Way of Working) - you're doing it stupendously wrong.  

If you scrolled past this post and thought "not for me, I have nothing to do with Agile" - you're likely not doing much of anything right.