Leverage Agile Mindset to Overcome Agile Antipatterns

Agile methodologies have become increasingly popular in the business world as organizations strive to adapt to the ever-changing demands of the market. However, despite implementing Agile frameworks such as Scrum, SAFe, Kanban, Scrum@Scale or SAFe, many organizations find themselves struggling to achieve the expected benefits and improved productivity. This can often be attributed to the presence of Agile antipatterns, which hinder the true potential of Agile practices. In this article, we will explore some common Agile antipatterns and discuss how leveraging the Agile mindset can help organizations overcome them.

This article is a summary of my presentation at the Atoha Project Management Conference 2023 on 25 July 2023.

Understanding Agile Antipatterns:

Agile antipatterns are counterproductive behaviors or practices that hinder the effectiveness of Agile methodologies. Let’s take a closer look at some common antipatterns organizations often encounter:

1. Compliance over Sense-Making. Focusing on rigidly following the rules and processes of Agile frameworks, rather than adapting and embracing change based on the team’s context and goals. For example, if you feel inclined to “agree on punishing people” for being late to Daily Scrum, this might be a symptom of your team not understanding the Agile values behind it.
2. Valuing Individual over Team Efforts. Emphasizing individual achievements and disregarding the collaborative nature of Agile, which relies on the collective intelligence and efforts of the entire team. Many organizations want teamwork in their organization, but set up individual performance system; sometimes even make people compete for higher bonus.
3. Focus on Achieving Sprint Targets over Customer Value. Prioritizing meeting arbitrary sprint targets (or: the items in the Sprint Backlog) rather than delivering valuable outcomes that truly address customer needs. This becomes mostly visible through doing User Acceptance Testing in a Sprint Review.
4. Task Delivery over Value Delivery. Putting excessive emphasis on completing tasks and checking off boxes rather than delivering meaningful value to customers and stakeholders. Often, that starts in refinement, in which the Product Owners often only hand over features to the teams.
5. Connecting Agile Practices to Traditional Practices:.Trying to fit Agile practices into traditional frameworks and processes, limiting experimentation and preventing the emergence of new and innovative ways of working. Calling Sprints Milestones is a typical symptom of this antipattern.

Embracing the Agile Mindset:

One of the main reasons for those antipatterns is that we look at Agile as a process too often. and who can blame us? Just google for the SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) picture, and you see, where such an impression might come from.

To overcome these Agile antipatterns, it is crucial to shift our picture from Agile as a mere process to embracing the Agile mindset. The Agile mindset is a belief system that recognizes the inherent uncertainty of the future, even for experienced professionals. Here are key elements of an Agile mindset that can drive organizational success (More information here):

1. Self-Organized, Cross-Functional, and Competent Teams. Empowering teams to make their own decisions, collaborate across disciplines, and continuously enhance their skills and knowledge.
2. Iterative and Incremental Value Delivery. Breaking work into smaller increments and delivering incremental value to customers, gaining feedback and insights that drive continuous improvement.
3. Continuous Improvement Process. Cultivating a culture of learning and adaptation, encouraging teams to reflect on their processes, experiment with new ideas, and constantly improve their ways of working.
4. Value-Driven Requirements. Shifting the focus from rigidly defined requirements to understanding and delivering value that meets customer needs and drives business outcomes.
5. Transparency. Encouraging open and honest communication, sharing information, and fostering trust within teams and across the organization.
6. Inspiring Vision. Communicating a compelling vision that motivates and aligns the team, making them proud to contribute their efforts towards a common goal.
7. Management Focusing on Systems, not Individuals. Shifting from traditional command-and-control management to supporting and enabling teams, removing obstacles, and fostering a collaborative and supportive environment.

Addressing Agile Antipatterns as a Manager:

As a manager, you play a vital role in overcoming Agile anti-patterns and fostering an Agile mindset within your organization. Here are some actionable steps you can take:

1. Assume That You Are Biased and Try New Things. Recognize your own biases and be open to experimenting with different approaches. Encourage your team to challenge the status quo and explore innovative ways of working.
2. Share Your Vision. Clearly communicate the organization’s vision and create a sense of purpose that inspires and motivates your team. Make them proud to be part of the journey towards achieving that vision.
3. Experiment and Learn New Ways. Encourage a culture of experimentation, where failures are seen as learning opportunities. Support your team in trying new approaches and continuously improving their processes.
4. Role-Model Desired Behavior. Lead by example and embody the Agile values and principles. Demonstrate the behaviors you expect from your team, such as collaboration, transparency, and adaptability.
5. Focus on Outcomes and Leave Outputs to the Team. Instead of micromanaging tasks, empower your team to define how they will deliver value. Shift your focus to the outcomes and objectives, allowing the team to determine the best way to achieve them.
6. Create Guardrails to Ensure Safety of Agile Ways of Working. Establish clear guidelines and boundaries that promote Agile practices while ensuring compliance with organizational policies. These guardrails should encourage autonomy, experimentation, and a safe environment for taking risks.

Conclusion:

Overcoming Agile antipatterns requires more than just implementing Agile frameworks by the book. Embracing the Agile mindset is essential to unleash the true potential of Agile methodologies. By fostering self-organized teams, value-driven delivery, continuous improvement, and transparent communication, organizations can overcome the common pitfalls and achieve the benefits of Agile. As a manager, embracing the Agile mindset and addressing antipatterns through open-mindedness, vision-sharing, experimentation, and outcome-focused leadership will help drive your organization towards Agile excellence.

If you’re struggling with Agile antipatterns or want to assess the agility of your organization, we’re here to help. Our experienced team can conduct an Agile Assessment tailored to your specific needs, identifying areas for improvement and providing actionable recommendations. Contact us today to schedule an Agile Assessment and embark on your journey towards a truly Agile organization.

Remember, adopting the Agile mindset is a continuous process, and we’re here to support you every step of the way. Together, we can overcome Agile antipatterns and unlock the full potential of Agile methodologies.

Feel free to reach out to us at chris@semdi.vn to get started on your Agile journey.