FramingAgileasamovementmakesitclearthatitissomethingwemustdotogether.Agile
asksustobeopen,collaborative,andreflective.Itasksustolookbeyondthe“correct”
implementationofprocessesandtools,acceptouruniquenessandcomplexityasindividuals,
andfindwaysinwhichwecanworktogethertowardagreatergood—justasthesignersof
theAgileManifestodidwhentheygatheredinUtah.
Inmanyways,thestoryoftheAgilemovementcontainswithinitselftheblueprintfora
successfulimplementationofAgile:acceptthefactthatdifferentteamsbenefitfromdifferent
tacticalapproaches,findcommongroundinsharedvalues,andkeepmovingforward.
Unpacking the Appeal of Agile
TheAgileAlliance,anorganizationformedbythe17signersoftheAgileManifesto,defines
Agilesimplyas“theabilitytocreateandrespondtochangeinordertosucceedinanuncertain
andturbulentenvironment.”
Itisnotterriblydifficulttoseewhythisissocompellingtomodernorganizations.Theideathat
ourworldisfasterpaced,moreconnected,andmorecustomerdriventhaneverbeforeistable
stakesforanycontemporarydiscussionaboutorganizationaldesignandculture.Modern
organizations—especiallylarge,slowmovingenterprises—existinconstantterrorofbeing
“disrupted”bysmallerandmoreadaptableplayers.Thesenseofurgencyaroundbecoming
faster,moreflexible,andmorecustomercentricisreal.AndAgileprovidesamaterialanswerto
thequestion,“Howcanwebemorelikethecuttingedgetechnologycompaniesandstartups
thatmightputusoutofbusiness?”
However,theideathatAgileissomekindofmagicalsecretthatprovideshightechcompanies
withanintrinsiccompetitiveadvantageisagrossandmisleadingoversimplification.Manyof
thefolksI’veworkedwithatlargetraditionalcompaniesaregenuinelyshockedtohearthatthe
technologycompaniesthattheybothfearandidolizearenottheegalitarianhivesoffreesnack
fueledinnovationthatyoureadaboutinrosyPRstatementsorfawningpressprofiles.Forbetter
orworse,thesecompaniesoftenfacemanyofthesameunderlyingchallengesthatmore
traditionalcompaniesdo:atendencytobemoremanagementcentricthancustomercentric,
organizationalsilosthatstiflecollaboration,andresistancetochangeafteraprojectissetin
motion.
ManyfolksI’veworkedwitharealsosurprisedanddisheartenedtohearthat“workinglikea
smallstartup”innowayguaranteesasuccessfulrealizationofAgilevalues.Startupfounders,
especiallythosepuffedupbymillionsofdollarsinventurefundingandourcurrentcultural
obsessionwithentrepreneurship,canbeamongtheleastgenuinelyadaptablepeopleI’veever
met.Forbetterorworse,ahightechorganizationoffivepeoplecanbejustasinsular,