Diana Kirkova presents insights on building effective agile teams by focusing on shared goals, clear roles, and trust. The document emphasizes various activities such as ice breakers and gamification to improve team dynamics and responsibility. Key strategies include enhancing communication, adaptability, and emotional intelligence among team members.

1. IS AGILE TEAM
DYNAMICS
LIKE A HOUSE
OF CARDS
By Diana Kirkova

2. ● More than 13 years experience in the IT industry
● Product manager at Falcon
● Agile Coach
● Speaker
● Certified Product Owner
● Certified Scrum Master
● Certified Scrum Professional
● CTC candidate (Certified Team Coach)
● Co-organizer of Bulgarian Agile Community
● Founder of Agile Habits Academy
My mission is to answer the question …
“How can I make myself no longer needed?”
Diana Kirkova
Agile Practitioner and Product manager
WHO AM I ?

3. UNDERSTANDING TEAM DYNAMICS

5. ‘[A team is a] group in which members work together intensively to achieve a common
group goal.’ (Lewis-McClear & Taylor, 1998)
‘A team is a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a
common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they are mutually
accountable.’ (Katzenbach & Smith, 1993)
‘[A team is made up of people] working together in a committed way to achieve a common goal or
mission. The work is interdependent and team members share responsibility and hold themselves
accountable for attaining the results.’ (MIT Information Services and Technology, 2007)
Teams consist of a group of people who share a common
understanding of their goal and work together to accomplish it.

6. HOW TO BUILD A STRONG TEAM
Building a strong team depends on a shared mission, vision and values to align
their personal interests, harness their collective expertise and focus their individual
efforts.
They establish clear roles and responsibilities – plus a framework for making
decisions and resolving conflicts.
Most important, they commit to an environment of trust.

7. ICE BREAKER
HUMAN KNOT
Helps with: Adaptability, Collaboration

8. Helps with: Adaptability, Collaboration
RULES:
Stay in a circle, standing shoulder to shoulder. Promote a manager.
1. Reach your left hand across the circle and join with the first hand you meet.
(Do not hold hands with someone directly next to you)
2. Repeat with the right hand and make sure each hand is holding only one other hand.
3. Without releasing hands, untie the knot guided by your manager.
If group members break the chain they need to start over.

9. GAMIFICATION: TEAM RESPONSIBILITY GAME
PART 1
INTENTION OF THE GAME
- experience sharing responsibility for a common
purpose
- discover unhealthy team dynamics
- reflect and think about better ways to work
together.
- Set up teams: Number of players between 7 and 10
- Members should count off: team member #1.. team
member #10
- Agree on shared purpose in the team

10. PART 2: STRINGLY RELATED

11. SHARED PURPOSE

12. WHAT IS NEXT? … MORE GAMES

13. TEAMS IN ACTION
Case 1: Walk around the room
PART 3:
“Projects are always moving, always alive, so keep moving.”
Answer the questions:
- Define the problem/s (how this affects the
team dynamics).
- How can you improve the team dynamics?
(generate possible solutions).
- Evaluate and select the best possible solutions
for you.
- what are the reasons for your decision

14. PART 3:
“You think you have to do everything. Without you
everything will fall apart.”
Case 2: Team member 1 takes 130%
responsibility by pulling harder on the cord.
Answer the questions:
- Define the problem/s (how this affects the
team dynamics).
- How can you improve the team dynamics?
(generate possible solutions).
- Evaluate and select the best possible solutions
for you.
- what are the reasons for your decision

15. PART 3:
“You are tired of work, is has just become a nine-to-five job,
internally you have already resigned.”
Case 3: Team member 2 gives up some
responsibility by loosening their grip on the cord.
Answer the questions:
- Define the problem/s (how this affects the
team dynamics).
- How can you improve the team dynamics?
(generate possible solutions).
- Evaluate and select the best possible solutions
for you.
- what are the reasons for your decision

16. PART 3:
Case 4: Team members 3 & 5 have a conflict and try
to pull apart while maintaining their grip on the net.
Answer the questions:
- Define the problem/s (how this affects the
team dynamics).
- How can you improve the team dynamics?
(generate possible solutions).
- Evaluate and select the best possible solutions
for you.
- what are the reasons for your decision

17. PART 3:
“You are changing roles.”
Case 5: Team members 4 & 6 swap
places.
Answer the questions:
- Define the problem/s (how this affects the
team dynamics).
- How can you improve the team dynamics?
(generate possible solutions).
- Evaluate and select the best possible solutions
for you.
- what are the reasons for your decision

18. PART 3:
“You are an expert and we need you in two teams.”
Case 6: Team member 1 works in two
teams (multitasking)
Answer the questions:
- Define the problem/s (how this affects the
team dynamics).
- How can you improve the team dynamics?
(generate possible solutions).
- Evaluate and select the best possible solutions
for you.
- what are the reasons for your decision

19. PART 3:
Case 7: Team member 2 works remotely, so
close your eyes
Answer the questions:
- Define the problem/s (how this affects the
team dynamics).
- How can you improve the team dynamics?
(generate possible solutions).
- Evaluate and select the best possible
solutions for you.
- what are the reasons for your decision

20. ANSWER THE QUESTIONS:
Evaluate and select the best
possible solutions for you.
- what are the reasons for
your decision
Define the problem/s
(how this affects the
team dynamics).
How can you improve the
team dynamics? (generate
possible solutions).
Case 1 Case 2
Combine all
Cases… Case 7

21. RESULT SHARING AND DISCUSSION

22. 1. Conduct a diagnosis and get to know your team
2. Address problems quickly
3. Define clear roles
4. Enhance team culture
5. Build communication
6. Always pay attention
STRATEGIES FOR BOOSTING TEAM DYNAMICS
Adaptability
Communication
Build Trust

23. WHAT IS
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE ?
Understanding the Five Categories
Self-awareness
Self-regulation
Motivation
Empathy
Social skills

24. THANK YOU!
@DianaKirkova | Twitter /dianakirkova | Linkedin