#188 – Managers in Agile

Holding on to legacy or Taylorist management activities, such as yearly resource allocation sessions, doesn’t rhyme with agile. So, let’s stop believing that an organization can become agile without Management and their practices and mindset)having to change, as well. Based on the number of (way too expensive) ”Agile Leadership” courses out there, it seems that both enterprises and AgileBS Consulting are starting to acknowledge it.

We like Dr. Simon Hayward’s approach to agile management; in his book, The Agile Leader, he describes the Agile Leadership Paradox where agile leaders must both Enable (learn about agile, emphasize with employees, trust them, empower teams, urge collaboration across silos, etc.) as well as Disrupt (question the status quo, create new ways of thinking, be aligned with customer trends, etc.) both teams and the organization.

Combining this approach with a strong understanding of Situational Leadership, and have as ambition to be more Supporting and Delegating than Coaching and Directing, is a start—also, remember that different teams might require different levels of servant-leadership.