Agilelondon mind-over-mechanism-oliverbernard
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The document discusses how the term "agile" is commonly misunderstood and means different things to different people due to semantic diffusion. It argues that focusing too much on mechanisms over mindset has contributed to this problem. A key reason "agile" is misunderstood is differences in company culture and mindset, with more collaborative and growth-oriented cultures being better suited to agile approaches. Changing mindsets from fixed to growth oriented is important for organizations to learn and benefit from agile techniques.
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Agilelondon mind-over-mechanism-oliverbernard
- 1. Agile London – May 2014 MIND OVER MECHANISM Why your ‘agile’ isn’t the same as my ‘agile’ and why that matters. Agile London - May 2014
- 2. A PROBLEM … Agile London – May 2014
- 3. Agile London – May 2014 My Agile isn’t your Agile • Philosophy • Methodology • Mindset • Framework • It’s scrum • It’s iterative development • It’s the opposite of waterfall • It’s I don’t know what but it’s “good” • It’s for software development • It means we don’t have to plan • It’s lightweight • It’s a project management thing • It’s a faster way to develop • It’s a cheaper way to develop • It’s sprints • It’s standups • It’s story points • It’s writing everything on index cards • It’s touchy • It’s feely • It’s… What is it?
- 4. Agile London – May 2014
- 5. Agile London – May 2014 My Agile isn’t your Agile ~ Martin Fowler 2006 Semantic Diffusion “Semantic diffusion occurs when you have a word that is coined by a person or group, often with a pretty good definition, but then gets spread through the wider community in a way that weakens that definition. This weakening risks losing the definition entirely - and with it any usefulness to the term.” http://martinfowler.com/bliki/SemanticDiffusion.html
- 6. Agile London – May 2014 My Agile isn’t your Agile Semantic Diffusion Neologism [nee-ol-uh-jiz-uhm] “In psychiatry, the term neologism is used to describe the use of words that have meaning only to the person who uses them, independent of their common meaning. This tendency is considered normal in children, but in adults it can be a symptom of psychopathy[9] or a thought disorder.”
- 7. Agile London – May 2014
- 8. Agile London – May 2014 My Agile isn’t your Agile Why is this a problem? • We all “Do” “Agile” • “Agile” has become a noun rather than an adjective • Virtually everything is labelled “Agile” • Virtually everything doesn’t work • “Agile” gets the blame
- 9. Agile London – May 2014 My Agile isn’t your Agile Why has is come to this? So Why is Agile so commonly misunderstood?
- 10. Agile London – May 2014 Mindset Team, departmental
- 11. Agile London – May 2014 My Agile isn’t your Agile Mechanism over mindset? • Scrum • Kanban • Scrum-ban • XP • Crystal • DSDM • SAFe • DAD • ……….
- 12. Agile London – May 2014 My Agile isn’t your Agile It’s for programmers • It’s for software development • Software development means nerds.
- 13. IT’S ALL IN THE MIND Agile London – May 2014
- 14. Agile London – May 2014 Company Culture Culture is the way that we think, act and interact
- 15. Agile London – May 2014 Company Culture The Schneider Model (William E Schneider) Reality Oriented Collaboration Control Cultivation Competence Possibility Oriented Company Oriented People Oriented We succeed by working together We succeed by growing people who fulfil our vision We succeed by getting and keeping control We succeed by being the best
- 16. Agile London – May 2014 Mindset Carole Dweck Fixed vs Growth Ability – static, like height Goal – look good Challenge – avoid Failure – defines your identity Effort – for those with no talent Reaction to challenge - helplessness Ability – can grow, like muscle Goal – to learn Challenge – embrace Failure – provides information Effort – path to mastery Reaction to challenge - resilience Linda Rising – The Power of an Agile Mindset https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W47rcJowx7k
- 17. Agile London – May 2014 Mindset Fixed vs Growth Control Collaboration Ability – static, like height Goal – look good Challenge – avoid Failure – defines your identity Effort – for those with no talent Reaction to challenge - helplessness Ability – can grow, like muscle Goal – to learn Challenge – embrace Failure – provides information Effort – path to mastery Reaction to challenge - resilience Cultivation Competence
- 18. Agile London – May 2014 Mindset Directing Attitude vs Enabling attitude Plan Driven Top down People oriented Bottom up Martin Fowler - 2004
- 19. Agile London – May 2014 Mindset Directing Attitude vs Enabling attitude Plan Driven Top down People oriented Bottom up Martin Fowler - 2004 Control Collaboration Cultivation Competence
- 20. Agile London – May 2014 Mindset Theory X vs Theory Y Assumes employees are inherently lazy and will avoid work if they can and that they inherently dislike work. Assumes that workers need to be closely supervised and comprehensive systems of controls developed. A hierarchical structure is needed with narrow span of control at each and every level. According to this theory, employees will show little ambition without an enticing incentive program and will avoid responsibility whenever they can. Assumes employees may be ambitious and self-motivated and exercise self-control. Assumes that employees enjoy their mental and physical work duties. According to them work is as natural as play. They possess the ability for creative problem solving. Given the proper conditions, Theory Y managers believe that employees will learn to seek out and accept responsibility and to exercise self-control and self-direction in accomplishing objectives to which they are committed. Douglas McGregor
- 21. Agile London – May 2014 Mindset Theory X vs Theory Y Assumes employees are inherently lazy and will avoid work if they can and that they inherently dislike work. Assumes that workers need to be closely supervised and comprehensive systems of controls developed. A hierarchical structure is needed with narrow span of control at each and every level. According to this theory, employees will show little ambition without an enticing incentive program and will avoid responsibility whenever they can. Assumes employees may be ambitious and self-motivated and exercise self-control. Assumes that employees enjoy their mental and physical work duties. According to them work is as natural as play. They possess the ability for creative problem solving. Given the proper conditions, Theory Y managers believe that employees will learn to seek out and accept responsibility and to exercise self-control and self-direction in accomplishing objectives to which they are committed. Douglas McGregor Control Collaboration Cultivation Competence
- 22. Agile London – May 2014 Mindset Traditional vs Agile Detailed plan up front Follow plan until complete Adjust your understanding based on what you learned Find out where you are Take a small step towards your goal Adjust your understanding based on what you learned Repeat Traditional vs Agile
- 23. Agile London – May 2014 Mindset Traditional vs Agile Detailed plan up front Follow plan until complete Adjust your understanding based on what you learned Find out where you are Take a small step towards your goal Adjust your understanding based on what you learned Repeat Traditional vs Agile Control Collaboration Cultivation Competence
- 24. Agile London – May 2014 Mindset • Determines goals • Reactions to failure • Belief about effort and strategies • Attitudes towards others’ success • Determines your attitudes towards learning
- 25. Agile London – May 2014 The learning Organisation Dreyfus model of skill acquisition 1. Novice • Rigid adherence to taught rules or plans – no exercise of discretionary judgement 2. Advanced beginner • Limited “situational perception” – all aspects of work treated with equal importnace 3. Competent • Coping with multiple activities – perception of actions in relations to goals 4. Proficient • Holistic view of the situation – perceives deviations from the normal pattern 5. Expert • Transcends reliance on rules based on deep tacit understanding – has vision of what is possible.
- 26. Agile London – May 2014 The learning Organisation Maslow? 1. Unconscious incompetence 2. Conscious incompetence 3. Conscious competence 4. Unconcious competence
- 27. Agile London – May 2014 The Learning Organisation Bob Marshall - Dreyfus for the organisation 1. Ad-Hoc 2. Novice Analytical 3. Competent Analytical 4. Early Synergistic 5. Mature Synergistic 6. Early Chaordic 7. Proficient Chaordic Effectiveness = f(mindset) http://flowchainsensei.wordpress.com/rightshifting/the-marshall-model/
- 28. Agile London – May 2014 The learning Organisation Shuhari • Shu – Beginning stage the student follows the teachings of one master precisely. He concentrates on how to do the task, without worrying too much about the underlying theory • Ha – At this point the student begins to branch out. With the basic practices working he now starts to learn the underlying principles and theory behind the technique. He also starts learning from other masters and integrates that learning into his practice. • Ri – Now the student isn’t learning from other people, but from his own practice. He creates his own approaches and adapts what he’s learned to his own particular circumstances
- 29. WHAT DOES THIS ALL MEAN? Agile London – May 2014
- 30. Agile London – May 2014 Fixed vs Agile Mindset • “Agile” is misunderstood • The reasons are numerous but mindset and culture are key components in its success • Collaborative and Cultivating cultures support agility • Control and to a certain extent competence cultures are less supportive • The Growth mindset is important in determining attitudes towards learning • Agile is all about learning • Learning theory emphasises the journey from rigid adherence of rules to a more flexable understanding • Rigid adherance to process, while beneficial will limit growth • A fixed mindset can limit growth at a personal, departmental and organisational level • The prevalent mindset or culture will to a large extent dictate how effectively agile techniques will deliver lasting value
- 31. Agile London – May 2014 References? The Power of an Agile Mindset - Linda Rising https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W47rcJowx7k Opening keynote - Dr. Alistair Cockburn "Why Agile Works" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdSiBlLafNY Semantic Diffusion – Martin Fowler http://martinfowler.com/bliki/SemanticDiffusion.html Neologism – Martin Fowler http://martinfowler.com/bliki/Neologism.html David Thomas - Agile Is Dead (Long Live Agility) http://pragdave.me/blog/2014/03/04/time-to-kill-agile/ Right shifting and the Marshal Model http://flowchainsensei.wordpress.com/rightshifting/the-marshall-model @smrimell stuart.rimell@ig.com
Editor's Notes
- This even works with theories of management. Douglas McGregor back in the 60s coined the Theory X and Theory Y of management. And this correlates rather beautifully to the collaboration and cultivation organisational cultures, and to the fixed and growth mindsets, and to the Directing and Enabling attitudes.
- Here are some references, I’ll leave these on the screen as we talk later so you’ll get a chance to note them down.