We need uninterrupted flow from plans via actions towards results. In reality, there's friction that disrupts the flow. This friction is caused by our chaotic environment, complexity, emotions & stress and personal intersts and it creates three critical gaps. We need to be brave and mind these gaps by avoiding "Command & Control" management behaviour and instead trying "Autonomy & Alignment" leadership behaviour.

1. Agile Leadership - Be Brave & Mind the Gaps | All Leaders' Day | @erik_schon | 2014-03-13 | Page 1 (14)
Agile Leadership:
Be Brave & mind the Gaps
All Leaders’ Day
March 13, 2014
@erik_schon

2. Agile Leadership - Be Brave & Mind the Gaps | All Leaders' Day | @erik_schon | 2014-03-13 | Page 2 (14)
Needs and questions
NEED:
FLOW
PLANSACTIONS
RESULTS
Why can’t we
plan better?
Why wasn’t the plan followed?
Why didn’t
the plan work?

3. Agile Leadership - Be Brave & Mind the Gaps | All Leaders' Day | @erik_schon | 2014-03-13 | Page 3 (14)
Reality: Friction Disrupts Flow
Human
Limitation
Independent
Agents
Limited
Knowledge
Unpredictable
Events
Imperfect
Information
Imperfect
Information Transfer
Independent
Wills
Different
Priorities
Different
Interpretations
Misunderstandings
Chance
Lack of data
Noise
External actors
Different
Agendas
Human
Limitation
Stephen Bungay: “The Art of Action” (2011)
Friction makes even the simplest tasks difficult
FRICTION
Emotion & Stress Complexity
Chaotic
Environment
Personal Interests

4. Agile Leadership - Be Brave & Mind the Gaps | All Leaders' Day | @erik_schon | 2014-03-13 | Page 4 (14)
FRICTION creates 3 critical GAPS
FRICTION
PLANSACTIONS
RESULTS
Effects Gap
Δ what we expect our actions to achieve
vs what the actions actually achieve
Knowledge Gap
Δ what we’d like to know
vs what we actually know
Alignment Gap
Δ what we’d like people to do
vs what people actually do
Friction prevents us from reaching desired results
Stephen Bungay: “The Art of Action” (2011)

5. Agile Leadership - Be Brave & Mind the Gaps | All Leaders' Day | @erik_schon | 2014-03-13 | Page 5 (14)
S

6. Agile Leadership - Be Brave & Mind the Gaps | All Leaders' Day | @erik_schon | 2014-03-13 | Page 6 (14)
Avoid: Usual Reactions to the GAPS
FRICTION
PLANSACTIONS
RESULTS
Effects Gap
Δ what we expect our actions to achieve
vs what the actions actually achieve
Knowledge Gap
Δ what we’d like to know
vs what we actually know
Alignment Gap
Δ what we’d like people to do
vs what people actually do
Ask for more
detailed information
Provide more
detailed instructions
Provide more
detailed control
mechanisms
Command & Control
More delays, less innovation, less motivation

7. Agile Leadership - Be Brave & Mind the Gaps | All Leaders' Day | @erik_schon | 2014-03-13 | Page 7 (14)
Be Brave,
dare to try!

8. Agile Leadership - Be Brave & Mind the Gaps | All Leaders' Day | @erik_schon | 2014-03-13 | Page 8 (14)
Be Brave: ClosE the GAPS!
FRICTION
PLANSACTIONS
RESULTS
Effects Gap
Δ what we expect our actions to achieve
vs what the actions actually achieve
Knowledge Gap
Δ what we’d like to know
vs what we actually know
Alignment Gap
Δ what we’d like people to do
vs what people actually do
Focus on clearly
communicating intent
= WHAT & WHY
Allow people/teams
to define HOW to do it
and report back
Give people/teams
freedom to adjust
actions in line with
intent
Alignment & Autonomy
Less delays, more innovation, more motivation

9. Agile Leadership - Be Brave & Mind the Gaps | All Leaders' Day | @erik_schon | 2014-03-13 | Page 9 (14)
Alignment + Autonomy → Results
Intent / Direction / Wanted Position
What & Why
Actions
HowAutonomy
Alignment
Thoughtful, purposive action
in the right direction
by all people in the organization
to reach the desired results
Stephen Bungay: “The Art of Action” (2011)
Alignment Autonomy
The more alignment you have around direction,
the more autonomy you can grant around actions

10. Agile Leadership - Be Brave & Mind the Gaps | All Leaders' Day | @erik_schon | 2014-03-13 | Page 10 (14)
Be brave
FLOW
PLANSACTIONS
RESULTS
Communicate clear intent
WHAT & WHY
Give freedom to decide HOW
within boundaries
Give freedom to adjust
HOW in line with intent
Move from “Command & Control” to “Alignment & Autonomy”

11. Agile Leadership - Be Brave & Mind the Gaps | All Leaders' Day | @erik_schon | 2014-03-13 | Page 11 (14)
Reflection
FLOW
PLANSACTIONS
RESULTS
Communicate clear intent
WHAT & WHY
Give freedom to decide HOW
within boundaries
Give freedom to adjust
HOW in line with intent
In pairs, discuss the following for 2 minutes:
How could you use this model in your daily work?

12. Agile Leadership - Be Brave & Mind the Gaps | All Leaders' Day | @erik_schon | 2014-03-13 | Page 12 (14)
Be Brave,
Just
do it!
Too many organizations
are trying to control the waves
instead of learning how to surf.
Mary Poppendieck
paraphrasing Allen Ward

13. Agile Leadership - Be Brave & Mind the Gaps | All Leaders' Day | @erik_schon | 2014-03-13 | Page 13 (14)
References

14. Agile Leadership - Be Brave & Mind the Gaps | All Leaders' Day | @erik_schon | 2014-03-13 | Page 14 (14)