The document discusses the role of agile leadership in the digital age, emphasizing alignment, transparency, built-in quality, and program execution. It highlights how agile leaders should manage portfolios and value streams, ensure clarity in roles and processes, embrace quality, and actively participate in program increments. Additionally, it references successful strategies employed by companies like Huawei and SpaceX to illustrate effective agile practices.

1. Values to Become Lean-Agile Leader
In Digital Age
Janani Liyanage
Enterprise Agile Coach
SPC, ICF Certified Coach, ICAgile Instructor, Personal Agility Coach

2. Janani Liyanage @ Agility Tune-up

3. 1. Alignment
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5. Portfolio A : Vision, Roadmap, Backlogs &
Budgets
Portfolio B : Vision, Roadmap, Backlogs &
Budgets
Portfolio C : Vision, Roadmap, Backlogs &
Budgets
Agile Leader’s Role in Alignment
Communicate Strategy & Investment Decisions & Reflect them on Portfolio Vision,
Roadmap & Backlogs
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6. Example “Huawei unveiled its “All Bands Go to 5G” strategy for the evolution
towards a 5G wireless network” ( IEEE communication Society Nov 2018)
Strategic Theme
Portfolio Vision
Roadmap
Enhance Global Commercial use of 5G Network by
Enabling 75 million families to enjoy the benefits of fixed
home broadband (HBB) services
Development of the 5G wireless network in three key
aspects: simplified site, simplified network, and automation
using AI based technologies
Strategic Themes
are specific,
differentiated
business goals
that
communicate
aspects of
strategic intents
of Enterprise for
different
portfolios
Agile Leader’s Role in Alignment
BacklogJanani Liyanage @ Agility Tune-up

7. Agile Leader’s Role in Alignment
Take Lead to Organize & Coordinate Value Stream
Value Streams represent the series of steps that an
organization uses to implement Solutions that provide a
continuous flow of value to a customer.
• Agile Leaders focus on optimizing whole value
stream
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8. Customer Purchase
a TV Package
Customer
Wants to
Watch a
Cricket Match
Customer
Request
Details from
Retailer Point
for Postpaid
Connections
Customer
Verification
Package
Selection
Field Support
team Visit for
Delivery &
Installation
Connection
Activation
Agile Leader’s Role in Alignment
Retailer
App
CRM
APP
Payment and
Placing the
order
Self Care
App
Quick
Cash
App
Help with value stream organization, coordination
Paying
Monthly bill
through Self
Care App
Promotion for
Cricket Series
postpaid
package
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9. Agile Leader’s Role in Alignment
Provide relevant briefing & participate Program Increment (PI) Planning
PI -1 ( 8-12w) PI-2 ( 8-12w) PI-3 ( 8-12W)
A Program Increment (PI) is a timeboxed planning interval during which a long-lived team of
Agile teams plans and delivers incremental value in the form of working, tested software and
systems. PIs are typically 8 – 12 weeks long.
PI PI PI
PI
Planning
PI
Planning
PI
Planning
Janani Liyanage @ Agility Tune-up

10. Agile Leader’s Role in Alignment
Constantly check for Understanding
Enables Clarity & Shared Understanding for Structure, Governance,
Roles & Processes in different levels of the organization
Product
managers
Product
Owners Release Train
Engineers
Agile
Teams
Enterprise
Architects
Business
Owners
Janani Liyanage @ Agility Tune-up

11. 2. Transparency
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12. Self Leadership:
Admit & be
responsible for
own mistakes
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Agile Leader’s Role in Transparency

13. Visualize Work, Make Clear Sense of Prioritization
Portfolio
Program
Team
Agile Leader’s Role in Transparency
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14. Done Kill the Messenger
Bugs, Delays,
Process Gaps
Agile Leader’s Role in Transparency
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15. 3. Built in Quality
Need for Embracing Health &
Safety as Lifestyle Not as a
Rule
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16. Agile Leader’s Role in Built-in-Quality
Demonstrate quality by refusing to accept or ship low quality work
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17. Agile Leader’s Role in Built-in-Quality
Investment time & money for maintenance & reduction of technical debt
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18. Agile Leader’s Role in Built-in-Quality
Ensure UX, architecture, operations, security and compliance are part of flow of work
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4
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19. 4. Program Execution
SpaceX Starship Series: Iterating from 2016-2019: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/587719820108874158/
Continuously deliver value Giving Intense focus on working systems & business outcomes
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20. Agile Leader’s Role in Program Execution
1. Take ownership & Actively
participate in PI execution
2. Celebrate high-Quality,
Predictably Delivered Program
increment
3. Aggressively Remove
Impediments & Demotivators
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21. Summary
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22. MISSION: SpaceX offer low-cost access to space by creating re-usable,
powerful, affordable starships
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23. Infusing Agility to the Organization DNA
• Strategy : SpaceX maximizes simplicity, low costs and
reliability in its business model
• Customer Centricity : Elon Musk has reiterated that the
company’s goal at this stage is not to maximize profits,
but instead revolutionize space technology.
• People : Young, highly motivated and non-unionized
workforce
• Operations : Manufacturing in house. 85%
• Processes : Very short, transparent supply chains enables
faster decision Making
• Simple, proven designs
• Emphasis on product development: Agility ,Rapid
innovation & testing of new devices. Emphasis on R&D
Janani Liyanage @ Agility Tune-up

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25. References
• https://techblog.comsoc.org/2018/11/26/huaweis-all-bands-go-to-5g-strategy-explained-
partnership-with-china-telecom-described/
• https://digital.hbs.edu/platform-rctom/submission/spacex-revolutionizing-space-travel/
• https://digital.hbs.edu/platform-rctom/submission/spacex-lowering-the-cost-of-access-to-space/
• https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/jul/17/elon-musk-mission-mars-spacex
• https://digital.hbs.edu/platform-rctom/submission/spacex-low-cost-access-to-space/
• https://hbr.org/2014/09/how-space-x-learned-to-make-faster-decisions
• https://www.intrafocus.com/2020/06/spacex-seven-steps-to-success/
• https://www.inc.com/business-insider/how-elon-musk-makes-decisions-rolling-stone.html
• https://timreview.ca/article/1258s
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