Learn how Agile is a Culture System and how you can work with it to get your business or organizational outcome.

1. Understanding and Working with
Agile Culture
@MichaelSahota

2. About Michael
STRATEGIC
PLAY®

3. Agile Is Mainstream
Source: VersionOne 2012 Annual State of Agile Development Survey
http://www.versionone.com/state-of-agile-survey-results/

4. Many Benefits from Agile
Manage Changing Priorities
⬆Productivity
⬆Visibility
⬆Team Morale
⬆Quality
⬇Risk
Source: VersionOne 2012 Annual State of Agile Development Survey
http://www.versionone.com/state-of-agile-survey-results/

5. Agile is not a Silver Bullet
CC Photo by http://www.flickr.com/photos/eschipul/

6. Agile Fails Due to Culture
Sources: Multiple Workshops with 100’s of participants; Version One Survey
http://agilitrix.com/2012/08/agile-2012-workshop-results/

7. http://www.flickr.com/photos/lokner/4164251472

8. Why is Culture Important?
“The only thing of
real importance
that leaders do is to
create and manage
culture.”
“If you do not manage
culture, it manages you,
and you may not even be
aware of the extent to
which this is happening.”
Edgar Schein
Professor MIT Sloan School of Management
Photo courtesy: http://leadership-tdoerffer.blogspot.com/2010/11/enjoy-interview-with-prof-edgar-schein.html

15. Agile 2012
Agile Tour Toronto 2011

16. What is Agile Culture?
@MichaelSahota

17. Graphic ©
Jurgen
Appelo

20. http://www.flickr.com/photos/tza/3214197147

21. Most Value Comes from Mindset/Culture, not Practices
~20%
Benefit
•Ability to manage changing
priorities
•Improved Visibility
•Increased Productivity
•Improved Quality
•Reduced Risk
~3X Benefit
•Customer Delight
•Joy at work
•Engagement
•Innovation, Creativity
•Continuous Learning

22. Culture Mismatch will Slow and Ultimately Fail Your
Agile Initiative
Avoid seductive fantasy that Agile practices will
change your Culture. They won’t.

23. Option 1: Work with Existing Culture

24. Option 1a: Incrementally Adopt Agile
Practices that fit Culture
Find the practice
(puzzle piece)
that fits your
problem.
Example: Introducing automated testing to
reduce regression test costs and time.

25. Option 1b: Use Kanban Toolkit to Start
Evolving Your Process & Practices
1.Visualize Work
2.Add Metrics
3.Make Improvements

27. Option 2: Change Organizational Culture
“75% of a company’s
management is honestly
convinced that business as
usual is totally unacceptable.”
- John Kotter

29. Scrum
• Throw out your existing process
• Start with Scrum Framework
• Add in elements needed to fit your
environment (e.g. UX, Regulatory)

31. Creating A Culture Bubble

32. Incubate Transformational
Leadership
Leaders go
first!
• Live the values
• Lead by example
• Seek to truly understand their culture
• Be as transparent as the teams they lead
See presentation: Agile From the Top Down:
Executives & Leadership Living Agile by Jon Stahl
http://www.slideshare.net/LeanDog/agile-from-the-top-down

33. Temenos: Safety, Trust & Connection
 Create deep alignment
between leadership
team’s personal visions
to create compelling
shared vision for the
organization
 Requires first building:
• Safety
• Trust
• Authentic
Connection
Next Toronto Workshop: Jan 25 & 26, 2014.
Register

35. PMI-ACP is about Process, not
Culture
PMI – ACP (Agile Certified Professional)
• “Demonstrate to employers your level of
professionalism in Agile practices of project
management.”
• Covers: Principles, practices and tools and
techniques across agile methodologies
(Scrum, kanban, XP, lean, etc.)
• Understanding of Agile as culture is currently
outside of PMI-ACP scope.

37. Get Help with Agile Practices to Avoid
Wasting Time & Effort
One of about 50 coaches worldwide
that know how to help organization
succeed with Agile*.
* About half of my work is with Kanban

38. Get Help with Culture to Develop a 21st
Century Workforce
I wrote “the book” on
Agile & Culture.
Phone me: 416.999.3297
Email me: michael.sahota@agilitrix.com
Sign up for my newsletter at:
http://agilitrix.com