👋 Hello, I’m Carlos, and welcome to my newsletter, “The Holistic Leader” Raw notes from an Agile Coach. Share your questions with me here, and in exchange, I'll provide practical, grounded, and clear advice.
Welcome to this edition of Agile Pulse: “Simple Agile Wins #2”
Every Wednesday, I’ll be your guide, sharing valuable tips and practical strategies that I wish I had known when I started on my own Agile journey. Whether you’re an Agile leader, a Scrum Master, or a curious explorer, this space is tailor-made for you.
Hello, Agile leaders. I'm super excited that you're here to explore how businesses can grow by being flexible and running micro-experiments, ready to improve.
Highlights:
Making a plan (Setting Clear Goals)
Talking It Over (Communicate and Implement)
Checking the Map (Review and Adjust)
Trying a Shortcut (Design a Simple Experiment)
Spotting a Bump in the Road (Identify a Challenge)
Before we get into the details, I would like to start by talking about “CHANGE”.
🔸 Change is Not a Monster
People say 'Change is a beast,' like it's scary.
But look at your smartphone – it's proof that you're actually great at changing.
Just like when you learned to use your phone, you can learn to change in other ways too.
🔸 Adaptation
From learning to walk to making new friends, we've been adapting all our lives.
Change isn't a monster; it's in our nature to grow and learn new things!
In the '90s', a cool experiment with college kids, yummy cookies, and radishes showed a secret.
Our willpower is like a battery and can run low, making new challenges tough.
If you use up your willpower on one thing, like not eating cookies, it's harder to work on puzzles or try new things at work.
That's why change can feel like a big deal.
🔸 Change with Heart
To really change, we need to care about it.
Sharing stories that touch our hearts can help us want to make a difference and try new ways of doing things.
Remember, when someone doesn't want to change, it's a chance to inspire them.
Show them a picture of what could be awesome, and they'll want to join the adventure.
Okay, let’s find out how as agile coaches & scrum masters we can facilitate change within organizations.
➡️ Making a Plan (Setting Clear Goals)
Helping teams define clear, attainable goals. For example, "Improve our product delivery time by 20%." Use simple language to ensure everyone understands and agrees on the goal.
Break down the goal into smaller, achievable steps. This could involve identifying specific areas of the development process that need improvement or adopting new tools.
➡️ Checking the Map (Review and Adjust)
Regularly review progress with the team, perhaps in sprint retrospectives, to ensure the goal is still in sight and achievable. Is the team closer to delivering products faster and with tangible value?
If progress is off track, it's time to adjust. Agile coaches can facilitate brainstorming sessions to find new strategies or tweak existing ones. The key is flexibility and willingness to change plans based on feedback.
➡️ Spotting a Bump in the Road (Identify a Challenge)
When a challenge arises, such as a bottleneck in the workflow, it's important to tackle it head-on. As facilitators we can guide teams to identify these challenges through observation and discussion.
Encourage the team to openly share their struggles and work collaboratively to find solutions, reinforcing a culture of transparency and continuous improvement.
➡️ Trying a Shortcut (Design a Simple Experiment)
Once a challenge is identified, design a simple experiment to test potential solutions. This could be as straightforward as trying a new software tool or adjusting the team's daily stand-up.
Agile coaches should emphasize that these experiments are low-risk ways to find what works best, encouraging a mindset of exploration and innovation.
➡️ Talking It Over (Communicate and Implement)
Communication is key. Agile coaches & Scrum masters should ensure that the plan, its progress, and any adjustments are clearly communicated to all stakeholders.
Facilitate the implementation of agreed-upon changes, supporting the team in adopting new practices or tools. This might involve running workshops or providing one-on-one coaching.
By following these steps and keeping things simple, you can make big improvements in your teams and your organization, one step at a time.
Remember, focus on what matters!
Guiding teams through change effectively, ensuring that the organization remains flexible, responsive, and continuously improving.
This approach reinforces the Agile principle of valuing individuals and interactions over processes and tools, leading to more engaged teams and better outcomes.
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Thanks for reading
See you next Wednesday!
- Carlos ✌️
Making People Awesome