Live Agile!
Many Agile consultancies advocate a top-down approach to changing corporate culture in order to successfully implement Agile methods. I often hear, “Once we get senior management on-board they can help us force an Agile culture change and then we will have success.” Perhaps we should pause for a second and ask ourselves, “What if they are wrong? What if top-down isn’t the way to go? Could there be another way to achieve lasting Agility?”
According to Answers.com corporate culture is, “The shared values, attitudes, standards, and beliefs that characterize members of an organization and define its nature.” Additionally the first value statement of the Agile Manifesto is “Individuals and interactions over processes and tools”. Hmmm… perhaps achieving organizational Agility starts with looking in the mirror? Perhaps if we have a group of people who have achieved some level of personal agility and they are working together then we will have a lasting Agile culture.
If you are looking to successfully implement Agile, perhaps it time to do a bit of introspection. To quote a famous man, “I am starting with the man in the mirror, I am asking him to change his ways, and no message could have been any clearer, if you want to make the world a better place then, take a look at yourself and make a change.” – Michael Jackson. Like any great retrospective, we should look at areas where we can have influence in order to make improvements. Why not look internally for what you can do in order to become more Agile. Perhaps by becoming more Agile yourself, others will want to become more Agile too and in the end your life will be greatly improved.
In this blog, we will be embarking on a journey together; we will be defining what Personal Agility means. You will receive practical guidance and suggestions for ways to live a more Agile life. It’s going to be a wild ride of personal discovery and development. Hold on tight because we are all going to be better for having been a part of this movement!
