Creating an Agile Culture
Updated: Apr 28, 2022
Adopting Agile is an exciting step toward increased efficiency and team job satisfaction, but this is often easier said than done. It is a process of organizational metamorphosis that requires a shift not only of process, but of mindset, and while this change can be a tricky one, it is achievable.
Learn some of the takeaways that you can use in your workplace, whether it's another start-up or a large-scale enterprise.
1. Start from the Top
Good culture doesn’t come out of anywhere, and while it also requires a committed, well-aligned team, it ultimately begins with leadership. Top-down institutions of policy and strategic planning are a necessary part of creating and maintaining any culture, but especially one as adaptive as Agile.
Starting from the top looks like this:
Agile Invested Leadership
Regular, Well Communicated Strategic Planning
Agile Policies and Procedures
What if the team is resistant to Agile?
Getting the team on board can be one of the biggest challenges in Agile adoption. This is especially true when Agile is not the first “new method” that has been introduced to the team. To make matters more difficult, team buy-in is a necessary part of the process, and a team that is hesitant toward it due to doubt, discomfort, or misunderstanding will be a hindrance to the adoption’s success. That being said, there are a few things you can do to help reduce your team’s resistance.
To start, we suggest that leadership...
Share their plans | Teams work better and with more confidence when they know what they are doing and why (see point 2.)
Encourage Honest Feedback | Having a workplace where questions are welcomed and answered and where well-meaning feedback (whether positive or negative) is acknowledged helps to build trust. Retros and Collaboration tools can help with this (see points 3 & 4).
Properly Introduce Agile | It is extremely important that when Agile is adopted, it is done correctly. Leadership and Teams need to be properly trained on what Agile is and how it should be performed. Any tools that are implemented also need to be properly configured and users need to understand how they work. This will help to make sure that teams understand what they’re doing and that time is not wasted on un-learning bad habits.
2. Know Your What’s & Why’s
Once the top is sorted, the rest of the organization needs to follow suit, and thi