Send us a Text Message.

In this episode, Peter Maddison and David Sharrock tackle the often polarizing topic of "hybrid" agile approaches.
They break down why mindlessly blending practices like waterfall and agile is rarely the solution, as it creates an unsatisfactory middle ground that fails to maximize either approach's strengths. Instead, they suggest that organizations should aim to comprehensively understand the problems they're solving, and then purposefully apply the methodology best suited for that context - whether it's agile, waterfall, lean, or something else entirely.

This week´s takeaways:

• Avoid defaulting to a watered-down "hybrid" methodology that dilutes best practices.
• Deeply analyze problems to determine the optimal approach - don't blindly apply one-size-fits-all.
• Promote peer-to-peer cooperation and mutual understanding across boundaries between different practices rather than hierarchical control.
• Strive for an integrated enterprise where distinct methodologies complement each other fluidly.

We love to hear your feedback! If you have questions or would like to suggest a topic please contact us at feedback@definitelymaybeagile.com.

Send us a Text Message.

In this episode, Peter and Dave explore the complexities of accountability and leadership in organizations. They delve into how systems can often constrain agency and foster "learned helplessness," even when leaders claim to have an open-door policy. The conversation touches on the importance of empathetic listening, inclusive language, and creating environments that empower teams to make decisions closer to the issues they face.

This week´s takeaways:

• Organizational systems are often designed to produce repetitive, constrained behavior, making it difficult for individuals to break out of engrained patterns, even when change is needed.
• True accountability requires not just assigning responsibility, but providing the authority, support and incentives for people to exercise that accountability.
• Leaders must be intentional about using inclusive language that creates psychological safety and invites open dialogue, rather than language that shuts down discourse.

Resources:

• The Unaccountability Machine by Dan Davis- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/211161687-the-unaccountability-machine
• Leadership is Language: The Hidden Power of What You Say -- and What You Don't by David Marquet - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42774083-leadership-is-language?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_39

We love to hear your feedback! If you have questions or would like to suggest a topic please contact us at feedback@definitelymaybeagile.com.

Send us a Text Message.

In this episode, Peter and David dive into the complexities of organizational change, exploring how agile transformations sometimes discard valuable lessons from past change management practices. They discuss blending systems thinking, behavioral economics, and incremental change approaches to create truly adaptive organizations. The conversation spans concepts like organizational immune systems, the human element in change, and the importance of clear strategy and communication.

This week's takeaways:

• Blindly following capital-A "Agile" transformations can lead to throwing out valuable organizational change management wisdom accumulated over decades.
• Organizations are complex systems, and sustainable change requires understanding human behaviors and making changes at a rate the organizational "immune system" can absorb rather than big disruptive shifts.
• Clear strategic direction combined with empowering teams for continuous bottom-up improvement is critical. Frequent communication and recognizing people as adaptive beings, not just mechanical components, is crucial for effective change.

We love to hear your feedback! If you have questions or would like to suggest a topic related to organizational change management and creating truly adaptive systems, please get in touch with us at feedback@definitelymaybeagile.com.