The document outlines a transformational approach to agile practices and organizational change, emphasizing the importance of setting aspirational goals and adapting processes through experimentation and collaboration. It highlights the need for support networks and cultural shifts to successfully navigate change, referencing key concepts from established change models. The author, an experienced software leadership coach, aims to provide actionable strategies for implementing agile transformations in various industries.

1. Taking Flight
From Aspiration to
Transformational Action

2. Your Aviator…
Software Leadership Coach w/
22 years IT Experience/20 years S/W Development
24 years Management Experience
Deming, Reengineering, Agile/Lean
Military/Federal
(Inside & Outside)
Product Companies
Multiple Industries
16 years Acquisition Experience
Active Agile Community Member
(Agile Coach Camp/Agile Influencers of DC)
(GLASScon/LeanCoffeeDC)
Lean Start-up & Product Mgmt

3. Agile Transformation
is
strategic in
nature.
(Transition, Adoption, etc.)

4. “Culture eats Strategy for breakfast.”
- Peter Drucker

5. Taking Flight Approach
• Set an aspirational target
• Examine possible routes
• Select the best route and the first waypoint(s)
– Consider each leg an experiment
– Work details/make decisions operationally
– Inspect & Adapt at each waypoint
– Make course corrections
– Squadron mates

6. Many Things to Change Depending on
What’s Next in Priority
• New Strategies
• New Org Structures
• Find/Establish New Support Networks
• New Practices
• New/Streamlined Processes
• Rewards for Δ in Behaviors
• Create/Eliminate Ceremonies
• New Habits  The Hardest to Do
& the most crucial
Some of
these will be
Experiments

7. Current
State
Aspiration
Next
State
Process Δs
Org
Structure
Δs
New
Practices
Habit Δs
Adapted from Organizational Transitions,
by R. Beckhard & R.T. Harris
Chosen Δs

8. Decisions  Δ Habits  Δ Culture

9. Current
State
Aspiration
Next
State
Process Δs
Org
Structure
Δs
New
Practices
Habit Δs
Manage the Δ
Adapted from Organizational Transitions,
by R. Beckhard & R.T. Harris

10. Inspect + Adapt

11. Status Quo
New Status Quo
disruption
amount
disruption
time
Understand the Impact of the
Satir Change Curve
A detailed depiction of the Satir Change model -
http://stevenmsmith.com/ar-satir-change-model/

12. To-Do In Work Done
Organizational Change Capacity
WIP Limit =
Limit Change in Progress

13. Aspiration
Starting
Point
Promotes
Restricts
Low Risk Tolerance
Grand Unclear Vision
Hiring to Fit
Insular Communication
Employee Indoctrination
Successes Only
Promotion/Restriction based on
Limits to Organizational Change
by Herbert Kaufman
& Discussions @ #CultureDC
Cross-cutting Teams
Diversity (of thoughts)
Failure Tolerance
Clear Vision
Employee Orientation
Experimentation
Transparency
New Employees
Specialized Silos
Group Think

14. Squadron Mates
• Create a support network
• Find like minds and pair
– Sounding board for pragmatic decisions
• Better yet, form a triad
– Third person holds the commitments of the other
two to each other accountable
• Grow network as pairs/triads
– Net-Map Technique is a great tool here
Triads come from The Culture Game by Daniel Mezick
Net-Map Toolkit, Eva Schiffer, http://netmap.wordpress.com

15. of
and
Hidden Assumptions
Biases

16. Drawing: Alex Hughes
Δ

17. Paul M. Boos
paul.boos@santeon.com
pmboos@yahoo.com
@paul_boos
703-307-4322 (mobile)
Look for a ‘workbook’ on this in the near future…