Why Agile "Doesn't Work" – and How Culture Makes All the Difference

?? I recently had someone tell me, “Agile doesn’t work”—without offering any alternatives. And they’re not alone. Many in the industry express skepticism about Agile, claiming it doesn’t deliver the promised results or leads to confusion and inefficiencies. But here’s the key issue: too many people are mistaking frameworks like Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, or LeSS for the entirety of Agile.

These are just tools—tools designed to help teams apply the Agile mindset in practice. But Agile isn’t about the tools or the framework. It’s about culture. When you focus on the 4 Values and 12 Principles that define Agile and weave them into your organization’s DNA, any project, even one managed with a Waterfall approach, can embody the essence of Agile. This article explores why Agile is a culture first and foremost, how this culture can transform projects, and what it looks like in practice.

The Heart of Agile: Culture and Mindset Over Framework

When Agile first emerged through the Agile Manifesto in 2001, it offered a set of values and principles to guide teams in producing better software and delivering real value quickly. The frameworks developed later—Scrum, Kanban, and scaled approaches like SAFe and LeSS—were created to bring these principles to life in specific ways. However, over time, the distinction between Agile as a mindset and Agile frameworks as implementation tools became blurred.

Agile is a culture centered on adaptability, empowerment, and continuous improvement based on feedback. These are qualities any team or organization can embody regardless of the tools they use. Teams focusing too much on following prescribed frameworks risk losing sight of the true purpose of Agile: delivering value with flexibility and learning along the way.

Why “Agile” Often Fails: Misunderstanding and Misapplication

A significant reason Agile is viewed as ineffective or unsustainable is because organizations adopt it superficially. They may implement a framework without fully understanding or committing to the cultural shift required. When Agile becomes just a series of sprints, stand-ups, and checklists, it fails to deliver on its promise. Agile only works when everyone from leadership to the team embraces a fundamental cultural shift. Let’s explore the core Agile values and how they transform a team’s approach, whatever the project style.

Embracing the 4 Core Values of Agile

Agile is built on four core values that, when fully embraced, set the stage for adaptability, resilience, and collaboration:

1. Individuals and Interactions Over Processes and Tools
2. Working Software Over Comprehensive Documentation
3. Customer Collaboration Over Contract Negotiation
4. Responding to Change Over Following a Plan

Going Beyond Frameworks: What a “Culture-First” Agile Looks Like

When an organization adopts Agile culture over Agile frameworks, it focuses on creating an environment that empowers its teams. Here’s how that might look:

• Empowerment and Autonomy: Agile culture is about granting autonomy to teams, encouraging them to make decisions and own their work. This means trusting that teams can assess and pivot when necessary.
• Leadership by Example: Leaders who value feedback and demonstrate adaptability set the tone for the rest of the organization. When leaders prioritize learning over rigid planning, teams follow suit, creating an environment where everyone can thrive.
• Continuous Learning and Improvement: A culture-first Agile mindset embraces learning as a core activity. Teams are encouraged to reflect on their work regularly and apply lessons learned to improve. This applies not only to project outcomes but to the team’s collaboration, communication, and adaptability.
• Flexible Frameworks as Tools, Not Requirements: Agile frameworks like Scrum or Kanban are tools to help teams manifest Agile values, but they’re not requirements. If a team finds that daily stand-ups or sprints don’t work for their workflow, they should be empowered to adjust these processes as long as they still align with Agile’s core values.

Agile Culture in Action: Applying Agile Principles to Any Project Style

You may wonder, “If we’re using a Waterfall approach, can we still be Agile?” Absolutely. Even in projects with fixed timelines, rigid phases, and specific deliverables, Agile principles can make the approach more adaptable, customer-focused, and resilient. Imagine a Waterfall project that incorporates Agile principles:

1. Feedback Cycles: Feedback isn’t limited to the end of a phase. Instead, stakeholders can review key milestones, allowing teams to incorporate feedback and course-correct as necessary.
2. Collaborative Communication: Traditional projects often involve formal handoffs, but Agile principles encourage ongoing, open communication. Building regular team and stakeholder check-ins ensures that everyone stays aligned.
3. Iteration Readiness: Rather than committing exclusively to the initial project scope, Agile Waterfall projects allow room for iteration. At key points, teams evaluate what they’ve learned, assess changing priorities, and make informed adjustments.
4. Trust and Adaptability: Agile culture promotes trust—trust in teams to find the best way to achieve outcomes and trust in the process to deliver value. When leaders and teams share a commitment to Agile values, adaptability and continuous improvement happen naturally.

Embracing Agile as a Mindset, Not a Methodology

The frameworks of Agile are secondary to its core principles. Scrum, Kanban, and SAFe are useful tools but will not deliver results without an Agile culture to support them. An organization with a mindset centered on adaptability, trust, collaboration, and customer focus is already embracing Agile, regardless of its project style or tools.

This culture of Agile means that any project—whether Agile, Waterfall, or hybrid—can benefit from Agile principles. When teams understand and live the values of Agile, they become equipped to succeed in any environment.

Final Thoughts: Make Agile Work by Focusing on What Matters

Agile is not a silver bullet, nor is it a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s a mindset that emphasizes values over processes, adaptability over rigid planning, and collaboration over competition.

When teams focus on living Agile values and principles, they can adapt, deliver value, and respond to the unexpected. The result? Teams that are more resilient, innovative, and aligned with stakeholder needs. Embrace Agile as a culture—not just a set of frameworks—and watch your teams flourish.

Agile isn’t just a process to follow; it’s a way of thinking and working that makes all the difference.