Agile bashing

What was the guarantee of success for modern companies for almost decades is increasingly becoming a buzzword: agility or agile working. This article aims to explain where this swan song comes from and why we haven’t even moved away from the dregs of agile transformation. And why there is still no way back.

What is agile working?

Agility stands for flexibility, adaptability and effective customer relationships. Nothing more and nothing less. It is about creating corporate worlds that have something effective to offer in the face of growing complexity. And only in the complex. Because agile means: hypothesis – trial and error – validation and iteration. And unlimited flexibility for the entire organization.

To this end, the agile universe offers a set of tools and methods with the sole purpose of establishing and maintaining urgently needed communication structures. Within the company, with network partners and especially with the most important factor: the paying customers who make business success possible in the first place.

Where does the swan song for agile working methods come from?

When agile working is introduced in organizations, the reason is usually economic considerations, often resulting from the inability to find effective solutions. In most cases, the aim is to be faster, more efficient and achieve better results.

On the other hand, there are beliefs and convictions that seek to undermine the true spirit of agility.

Belief number 1: One more tool will save us.

The range of agile tools, methods and frameworks is constantly growing. And they all promise the same thing: Improved collaboration within the company and with the customer; shorter and more efficient communication channels; increased flexibility.

And since a single method doesn’t seem to create any real added value in this respect and doesn’t achieve much, if anything, it doesn’t stop there. Wherever you look, more and more tools are being used to supplement, or worse, cannibalize. According to the motto: “A lot helps a lot”

The result: floods of tickets instead of communication; ambiguous priorities; excessive demands.

Belief number 2: Agility is competence without leadership

It is a common misconception that agility can do without leadership. Agile teams in particular need guidance. So roles are being developed to replace the traditional manager. And there should not be just a few of them.

In turn, they are then also operationally active in the organization in addition to their agile role. This often leads to conflicting responsibilities.
In addition, agile roles are only trained rudimentarily, if at all. There is a lack of time, experience and the necessary skills.

Belief number 3: Agility needs modern office space

Open space, flex work, innovation hub or foosball table. Agile working does not come without changes to workspaces. These are designed to create communication spaces for teams. And not to make it more appealing for employees to return to the office.

What is much more important is to understand that it is about sharing. It’s about creating solutions in a complex space. This requires communication first and foremost.

No desire for even more agility

The result: The motivation to work agile decreases. Significantly. Because the added value is not clear. And the successes fail to materialize. Because using agility for the sake of agility and introducing everything imaginable has not led to any relief so far. On the contrary.

On the necessity of agile transformation

It is undisputed that the German economy is under massive pressure. Hoping for help from an ailing federal government or an economic turnaround will not be the lifeline. Companies must develop their own solutions to meet the challenges of digitalization, skills shortages and regulation.

Agile working is the only way currently known to us that enables corresponding solution scenarios.

How can the path to agility be paved?

We have all experienced first-hand that agility change is not an easy undertaking. Just like the fact that it is not a quick and radical change that can immediately cure all ailments. The only question is, how can it succeed?

1. creation of a communication culture instead of a tool culture

The measure of all things in agile is communication. And that takes place at eye level. People need to invest in a mutual exchange in order to create quick and simple solutions.

2. empowerment of role models

Whether SCRUM master or agile coach. These roles require expertise and experience. This requires time and support. Another factor where communication is essential.

3. take out the pressure

Turnover is a must, that’s a fact. But viewing agility as a sales driver and living it that way does not do justice to the true spirit of agile thinking. On the contrary: focusing on customer centricity and simple solutions will not lead directly to economic success, but only afterwards. And this is only possible through communication with each other and with customers.

4. putting people at the center

People have creative power and a solution-oriented approach. This needs to be encouraged. And this requires goal-oriented communication structures that ensure that solutions can be developed at all.

Conclusion and outlook for the future

Even if some people have the impression that agility is on the wane again, we can no longer avoid it. The fact is that agile working methods, new work or similar approaches are currently the only means of dealing with complexity that can and will have an impact. At least until we have found something else.

And it is still clearly recognizable that we have not even come close to the true agile spirit in our business world. In fact, we are only at the beginning. And in order to be able to overcome these and future challenges, we cannot avoid not only giving agility a second chance at its foundations, but also internalizing the essential cornerstones:

• Communication with each other, with customers and colleagues. And not tool-driven, please, but in real time.
• Customer centricity instead of customer satisfaction management. Focus on the user.
• Trust and responsibility. Everyone can and wants to make a contribution.

The future is agile. There is no way around it.