Doing business through the lens of the Agile Manifesto (by Abby Okyere)

Introduction:

In the picturesque setting of The Lodge at Snowbird ski resort in Utah's Wasatch mountains, seventeen individuals gathered on February 11-13, 2001, not only to ski, relax, and enjoy meals but also to embark on a journey to revolutionize software development. Little did they know that their quest would give rise to the Agile Manifesto—a philosophy that transcends the realm of software development and permeates the very essence of doing business and living life. The Agile Manifesto is not merely a framework for software development; it's a guiding principle for how we approach business and life as well.

And here is why I say that:

Value Individuals and Interactions over Processes and Tools:

In the past, I have been curious about which preceded the other—in our quest to create a better organization, a better business environment, better governance. Do we strive to change the people first; their mindsets, or do we change the systems underlying their actions? Valuing individuals and interactions is a prescriptive statement connoting how the world should be. Our interactions with individuals form a crucial part of business success. According to a Forbes article by Martha Weidmann published on February 2, 2023 ("The Value of Human Connection In Shaping Business Success"), 94% of employees are more productive when they feel connected to their colleagues. And it doesn't just end with employees or colleagues. In my opinion, the best project managers are those who can sufficiently engage with project stakeholders and the team, communicate and interact to achieve a positive outcome, whether in a predictive or an adaptive project life cycle. For businesses to excel, the secret ingredient is building individuals, solidifying both internal and external interactions to ensure alignment. It is no wonder that the biggest contracts are won over hearty meals, that jobs are secured through networking events, and that the best working environments are characterized by a great working culture and not necessarily excellent processes and tools. Now, I am not saying processes and tools don't matter, but when they are given precedence over individuals, organizations and projects suffer. Give me an average system with solidified engagement and interactions among its people, and I'll give you a better organization over time. PMs, managers, and C-suite executives ought to prioritize individuals and interactions, as Jim Highsmith and the early Scrum masters prescribed.

Value Projects over Comprehensive Documentations:

By this, I am proposing actions over theories. No matter how many times you work on documentation, it cannot be compared to an iteration of a project. You won't get to know disruptions or possible changes in a task until you start. The best business managers are the ones who can navigate complexities. But complexities do not happen on paper; they happen in the field; in the line of action and execution. Several years or months of planning (including "pre-mortems") may not necessarily reveal all the risks. Industry changes cannot all be predicted with 100% accuracy or certainty, but the best outcomes usually go to those who aren't afraid to muddle through and use a "fail first and fail fast” approach. The same principle applies to navigating life. Move plans and goals from paper and start working on them. Start with less, start despite your fears, but start, nevertheless. In fact, sometimes individuals may not present themselves well, but the quality of their work speaks for itself (and vice versa). The most eloquent individuals on paper aren't always necessarily the best in execution or implementation, if you ask me and from experience. Look out for those who have their heads down and are putting in their best efforts for their work to speak for itself. In short, whether in business or in life, value projects over comprehensive documentation, as controversial as this may sound, has real value.

Value Customer Collaboration over Contract Negotiation:

Don't aim to beat the client to the punch and win contracts; rather, choose to collaborate with the client or customer. Satya Nadella calls it "anticipating the unarticulated needs of the clients." Instead of being on different sides of the table with the customer, be at the same point and work alongside the customer to understand their pain points. Whether you are selling, starting a business, or creating new software, forget about the profit or revenue you are going to make. Yes, forget about your profits momentarily and ask yourself how you can solve the needs of the customer. Empathize and work with them. If possible, meet to talk, ski, and relax as you delve into what will truly get them from where they are to their future state. Whether in projects, business, programs, or approaching life, valuing the customer or end-user (or put simply, valuing the human beings whom your actions will affect), to the extent of collaborating with them, not as their expert but as their partner, yields more lasting value.

Value Responding to Change over Following a Plan:

How many times have life, the economy, and the climate thrown curveballs at us this year, and how many of such curveballs did we have in our plan?! Instead of striving to adhere rigidly to a plan, work on being adaptive and agile in responding to change. It's almost like the saying, "If life gives you lemons, make lemonade." But this doesn't insinuate that every change is negative. Some drastic changes have been positive or yielded positive results for many industries recently. Even some negative changes have been channelled into positive outcomes. A good example is the upsurge of Zoom in the wake of working from home during the pandemic. Change is inevitable, and so our goal is to be able to respond to such changes when the "ceteris paribus" to our plans do not go as planned.

Conclusion:

The Agile Manifesto offers valuable lessons for businesses and individuals alike. By prioritizing individuals, embracing action over theory, collaborating with customers, and responding to change, we can navigate the complexities of modern life and business with resilience and success. Embrace the agile mindset and watch how it transforms not only the way you do business but also the way you live your life.