Where is Agile Today? with Quincy Jordan

Agile Coaches' Corner

This week, Dan Neumann is joined by Quincy Jordan. In this episode, Dan and Quincy discuss the current state of events for the Agile movement, they dive into an insightful discussion about what Agility really means and what the key elements are that make a sustainable transformation to Agile. Quincy and Dan share how Agile works when an organization is true to its principles, follows its manifesto, and embraces its mindset.

Key Takeaways

• Agile impasse point:

• • People are trying to decide whether Agile works or is it just smoke and mirrors.

  • Agile has proven outcomes with many successes across different organizations.

  • Those who truly embrace Agile (its principles, manifesto, and mindset) have reached success.

• Transformation sustainability:

• • Some organizations have undergone a transformation, but without thinking about how things will change due to it.

  • Agile does not work as software you can install.

  • Agile is not cookie-cutter.

• Agile requires collaboration and is also time sensitive.

• • Every generation decides which practices are going to be continued and embraced and which aren’t.

• What happens when people are being “forced” into Agile?

• • The outcome will change according to the environment. Is it a supportive Agile ecosystem?

  • The collaboration of every member is needed for Agile to be successful.

• Some organizations are going to differentiate themselves as a result of Agile really working for them.

• • People realize that Scrum is Agile, but Agile isn’t Scrum. Scrum is just one way, not the only way.

• What does fully Agile actually mean?

• • It is probably just an expression, but it could either follow practices without following the true Agile meaning or without embracing the cultural aspect or behavioral changes.

  • Always keep an iterative approach: Stop and reflect: What type of things do we need to change? What are the tools that could be used that were never tried before? It is essential to keep the retrospect in the Agile transformation, to actually retrospect on the Agile Journey.

• Some collateral Agile benefits:

• • Noticing you have significantly fewer problems than the organization used to have.

  • Noticing there are fewer struggles when people are coming back from vacation.

Mentioned in this Episode:

Coaching for Performance: The Principles and Practice of Coaching and Leadership, by Sir John Whitmore

The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization, by Peter Senge

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