Many IT centric business executives have dabbled in Agile adoption, and still wonder if it is something they should implement.
A key to adopting Lean and Agile methodology is having a clear and pressing issue to motivate people to change. We like to refer to this as “the burning platform.”
Agile Adoption Is Creating Comfort in Discomfort
In most organizations, people become comfortable – comfortable with their position, comfortable with their role, and comfortable with their environment. Agile changes all of that. Agile makes people uncomfortable. At least initially, then, most start to really like this new way of working.
Having a Clear Burning Platform is Key Motivator to Agile Adoption
The burning platform is the energy source that drives the motivation for people to put up with their discomfort, to suppress their resistance to change.
Your burning platform is the underpinning “why” you are motivated to adopt Agile and create change.
Examples of burning platforms common to innovating organizations are:
- Robin please complete a list
Build Buy In to Burning Platform to Gain Commitment to Change
How you choose to adapt and adopt Agile, can create comfort in the discomfort of change for your employees. Gaining buy in, by your whole team, to the burning platform is essential to avoiding Agile adoption pitfalls.
Some suggested methods to bringing your employees into the loop, include:
- hiring an Agile coach – an outside third party who has seen your burning issue before, and is an expert Agilist, can be an unbiased part-time team member.
- training leaders in your organization (not necessarily managers) to become Agile Leadership through a course like Innovel’s Agile Leadership training.
- Robin please complete
I think an organization that is thinking about embarking on Lean or Agile must understand what the value proposition is – what are they going after – what is their burning platform or platforms?
Once they understand that burning platform, make it public and rally support for why the fire needs to be put out. To make the change sustainable, an organization must remain focused on that burning platform and the value proposition for continuing to adopt Lean or Agile. There will be many distractions such as changing market conditions, increased competitive costs, re-organizations, etc.
Once that burning platform has been reduced to a smoldering pile of ash, look for the next platform that you can ignite, so that mediocrity does not permeate into your organization.