<p>Thoughts on Agile implementation in your IT org. at the enterprise level.</p> ……

I am working on a many part series on the Culture of Innovation with Jean and Lee Devin. Your participation will be very helpful as we shape it as we go.

Thanks again,
Ryan

The change initiatives in which I’ve participated on or led, enjoyed the greatest success when they started at the ‘Testing’ level or higher. Also, the presence of strong servant leadership and consultative communication skills really makes a difference.

For example,I participated on a large agile change initiative a few years ago that enjoyed an executive sponsor who was a strong servant leader. He also demonstrated very strong listening skills and a mastery of Covey’s Habit 5 – “Seek first to understand and then to be understood”.

This helped to foster an environment of trust and empowerment where employees felt that the group’s problems with quality and unpredictable delivery were their problems. They made a commitment to solve them and what’s more, folks wanted this leader to be successful(a true measure of servant leadership).

The change initiative was also executed in a Plan-Do-Check-Act manner which just enhanced the group’s feeling of ownership of the problems and of the process.

Needless to say, this initiative enjoyed great success in delivering on the promises of Agile.

I look forward to more conversations in the Agile Community on the topic of strategies for executing Agile change initiatives.

Excellent post on Telling vs Co-creating approach.

For me the most important observation I have to share is I do not know of any other Agile leader that refers to the Fifth Discipline / Peter Senge / Learning Organization knowledgebase for Agile adoption.

My experiences as an Agile Coach have told me that this is probably the best source of inspiration and ideas for any engagement.

I will hook up with you at one of the conferences soon and chat more on this subject!

Thanks and continue writing!

May your tribe expand!
Siraj