Values and Practices of Agile Leadership
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The document discusses the principles of agile leadership, emphasizing reflection, adaptation, and the importance of a culture that fosters curiosity, clarity, courage, and care. It identifies three gaps—knowledge, effects, and alignment—that create friction in organizations and suggests 'directed opportunism' as a solution. Additionally, it highlights the need for leadership at all levels to drive agility in organizations by providing commitment, confidence, and communication.
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Let’s start with a story…
“Any obstacles arise due to the low
professionalism of people…
Account Managers and Project
Managers are often the weakest
link in the chain […] rather than a
driving force of the project”
“…several planning techniques can
minimize the obstacles /
challenges”
The assumption: We can plan for what we don’t know
“Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future”
Neils Bohr
"The afternoon knows what
the morning never
suspected“
Robert Frost](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/valuespracticesofagileleadershipv1-161009221059/85/Values-and-Practices-of-Agile-Leadership-4-320.jpg)
Values and Practices of Agile Leadership
- 1. Rising to the Agility Challenge: Values & Practices of Agile Leadership KCE - 6th October 2016 Dragan Jojic part of the BeLiminal network Dragan@Capagility.com Dragan@BeLiminal.com @DrJojic
- 2. 2 Reflection and adaptation “Hansei is really much deeper than reflection. It is really being honest about your own weaknesses.” Jeffery Liker
- 3. 3 Where does this talk come from? • My article published in InfoQ in February 2016 • That often referenced Swedish streaming service • Following a link from a tweet to a blog to a book • A chance meeting with a popular public speaker at an event many years ago • Feedback from my Agile on the Beach 2016 talk
- 4. 4 Let’s start with a story… “Any obstacles arise due to the low professionalism of people… Account Managers and Project Managers are often the weakest link in the chain […] rather than a driving force of the project” “…several planning techniques can minimize the obstacles / challenges” The assumption: We can plan for what we don’t know “Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future” Neils Bohr "The afternoon knows what the morning never suspected“ Robert Frost
- 5. 5 “Build your organization into an engine of possibility“ Dave Gray
- 6. 6 Balancing alignment with autonomy “Loosely coupled, tightly aligned” Spotify Autonomy (what to do & how) Alignment (what to achieve & why)
- 8. 8 The Agility Challenge Everybody in the ‘agile enterprise’: • Knows what they need to achieve and why • Can decide by themselves how best to do it • Genuinely cares that it gets done
- 9. 9 In the meantime on Planet Earth… “…getting simple things to happen is very difficult and getting difficult things to happen is impossible” Carl von Clausewitz
- 10. 10 Three gaps that cause ‘friction’ Knowledge gapEffects gap Alignment gap Actions Outcome s Plans
- 11. 11 Actions The usual approach: more detail/control Outcome s Knowledge gap more detailed info Effects gap more detailed controls Alignment gap more detailed instructions Plans
- 12. 12 Actions The alternative: ‘directed opportunism’ Outcome s Knowledge gap limit direction to defining intent Effects gap give freedom to adjust actions in line with intent Alignment gap communicate intent & allow ‘each level’ to define how they will achieve it Plans
- 13. 13 Segue to leadership “Agile makes organisations work; Leadership makes Agile work” Michael Short & Guy McDonnell
- 14. 14 But what kind of leadership? Leadership at all levels in the organisation “Leadership is about taking initiative and influencing those around you” John Kotter “…being a leader from the position you are in” David Marquet “We can’t just have one leader, we need a team of leaders” Gareth Southgate
- 15. 15 Three Cs of success • Commitment • Confidence • Communication Tony Ball MBE
- 16. 16 Three gaps & three Cs – spooky!!! Commitment Confidence Communication ?
- 17. 17 Actions Three gaps & 4 Cs Outcome s CuriosityConfidence Commitment Communication Plans Clarity Courage Care
- 18. 18 Four Cs of Agile Leadership CuriosityCourage Care Clarity Actions Outcome s Plans
- 19. 19 1. Curiosity Actions Outcome s CuriosityCourage Care Clarity Plans How do we identify what we need to know and speed up learning? Practices • Look out for signals, patterns and opportunities What should we do? • Recognise existing delivery capability What can we do? • Explore options (value & ‘last responsible moment’) What options do we have? • Assess achievements against desired outcomes Have we achieved what we set out to achieve?
- 20. 20 Actions Outcome s Curiosity Care Clarity Plans Courage 2. Clarity Practices • “Do less” – convert ‘push’ to ‘pull’: what is possible with the means we have at our disposal? • Clarify desired outcomes (‘what’ and ‘why’) • Set constraints: e.g. articulate norms / delineate authority • Identify useful metrics that show we are/aren’t successful • Keep it all visible (work, process, progress, outcomes) How do we build ‘shared understanding’?
- 21. 22 Actions Outcome s Curiosity Care Clarity Plans Courage 3. Courage Practices • Take responsibility (or step back and let go) • Seek advice: Is it good enough for now? Is it safe enough to try? • Run experiments, learn from failure, pivot “When you lose, don’t lose the lesson” • Speak your mind, challenge from the heart How do we amplify reflection and adaptation?
- 22. 23 Actions Outcome s Curiosity Care Clarity Plans Courage 4. Care Practices • Try to be useful, not to be right • Contribute – Seek help: show you’re not perfect – Offer help: teach, mentor & coach • Recognise contributions • Show respect for differences How do we best help one another?
- 23. 24 Actions Outcome s Curiosity Care Clarity Plans Courage Four Cs of Agile Leadership What am I missing?
- 24. 25 Where next? • Keep using, reflecting and adapting • Are these leadership values or my personal ones? • ‘Leadership’ or ‘Citizenship’?
- 25. 26 References • Jeffery Liker, “The Toyota Way” (McGraw-Hill, 2004) • Ralph Topping (LinkedIn, 2 October 2016) https://www.linkedin.com/nhome/updates?activity=6188324931734900736 • Dave Gray, “Experimentation Is The New Planning” (FastCompany.com, 2012) • Henrik Kniberg, “Spotify – the unproject culture”, Crisp blog at http://blog.crisp.se/ • Stephen Bungay, “The Art of Action” (Nicholas Brealey, 2011) • John Kotter, “Leadership Tip: It's How You Act, Not Your Position” (Forbes, 6 June 2012) http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkotter/2012/06/06/leadership-tip-its-about-how-you-act-not-your- position/?feed=rss_home#3829a1293e8c • David Marquet, “Turn the Ship Around!” (Greenleaf Book Group Press, 2012) • Olav Maassen, Chris Matts & Chris Geary, “Commitment” (Hathaway te Brake Publications, 2013) • Jim Highsmith, “Do Less” (http://jimhighsmith.com/, 22 November 2010) • Dalai Lama, “Dalai Lama’s 18 Rules for Living” (http://highexistence.com/rules-for-living/) • Chris Collison & Geoff Parcell, “Learning to Fly” (Capstone Publishing, 2001) • Dragan Jojic, “The Agility Challenge” (InfoQ, February 2016) htpps://www.infoq.com/articles/agility-challenge
- 26. 27 Think big, start small, move fast Thank you!
- 27. Rising to the Agility Challenge: Values & Practices of Agile Leadership Questions / Comments? Dragan@Capagility.com Dragan@BeLiminal.com @DrJojic
Editor's Notes
- #6: “Let’s be honest: you have no idea what’s going to happen to your industry. That’s why you build your organisation into an engine of possibility.”