True agility begins with collaboration

Organization design and business agility have always been an area of ​​interest to me, long before they were buzzwords. I enjoy evaluating people and the goals of organizations and analyzing the psychology behind it all. In 2007, I completed my first formal agile training and certification (Scrum Master). This program was energizing and inspiring, not just because of the learning aspect, but because of how Agile can transform our working lives. Immediately after the course, I found opportunities to use the approaches discussed, including implementing Scrum for eLearning course development. While the organizations I supported weren’t always ready for true agility, I stuck to the overall theme and message behind agile.

Many people have written and expressed their frustration about what is not agile. For those who see the power in agile, you’ll also see that agile is not a tool, it’s not turning requirements into user stories, it’s not packaging agile as a daily standup (where everyone sits because of the length), and it’s not being a development-focused business. Agile focuses on value creation. And at the heart of Agile is how value is created. Many people in organizations think that their freelance work creates value. In many cases, these people are creating value, but too often they are operating in siled, disconnected workflows and are creating their personal version of value. It goes back to what the customer is willing to pay, which will take your organization to the next level and build organizational momentum that is in tune with the customer. Many organizations even go so far as to say that they are agile or collaborative. Do we really understand what it means to collaborate? I think this is at the heart of it all.

If we understand and practice collaboration, we will be attuned to client needs/changes and so closely aligned that we will be one step ahead of what our work should deliver. The agile manifesto also talks about interactions about processes and tools, work software about documentation, and response to change about following a plan. I feel that all of this can be achieved through true collaboration and alignment. To fully collaborate, I believe the following preconditions must be met:

1. People must leave prejudices at the door.
2. People must be able to communicate expectations
3. People must commit to keeping their promises.
4. Individuals must be self-aware and able to give fully to the team.
5. People must be committed to the success of the team and the organization in general, leaving personal competitive needs aside.
6. People should be respectful not only of new ideas, but also of other people in general.

Here are my top 10 ways to foster collaboration and create a culture that’s ready to be agile:

1. Be present for team members
2. Practice active listening
3. Create safe spaces that allow team members to grow together and individually
4. Be accountable to the team.
5. Avoid blaming others for mistakes
6. Be patient and generous with your time.
7. Ask for help
8. share credit
9. Question the work being done to ensure it is essential
10. Appreciate team members and communicate their value.

I strongly believe in changing the way we approach work and get it done for optimal individual and organizational growth. Perhaps this is why so many agile transformations start, but fizzle out or end up as a waterfall-like process branded as agile. The old adage, “nothing worth having ever comes easy” comes into play here. For you and your organization to operate with agility, a greater cultural change than ever is required.