Agile leadership on a grand scale

At first glance, scaling seems to be about new roles and greater rituals. However, the main change compared to a conventional organization is in leadership. In successful agile organizations, leadership is based on a post-heroic, "lean" attitude. And while the tasks of managers can still be subsumed under organizing, deciding, developing people, etc., the techniques for doing so are different in an agile environment: Management 3.0 provides a useful toolbox for this.

We may not like to admit it to ourselves, but the leadership concepts of scientific management from the last century are still with us. They permeate the actions of many managers more deeply than they could possibly adapt to agile leadership. In concrete conflict situations, the old paradigms become apparent in behavior.

However, effective agility is based on a people-centric view of the organization. It recognizes that people are different and that individuality and diversity bring great benefits.

"Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done." is written in the principles of the agile manifesto
(" agilemanifesto.org). This applies to the individual development teams. And for the organization? A good suggestion is: "Build the organization around motivated leaders. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done." Top management also has a duty.

"Leadership is becoming more demanding."

In case anyone was wondering whether leadership is less important in an agile organization: Not at all! It even becomes more demanding. It is important to develop people to their individual peak performance. Transparency must be used and endured. Obstacles need to be cleared out of the way. New rituals such as release planning with 100 or 200 employees need to be implemented and carried out.

All of this requires coordination, creativity, a willingness to learn and the ability to give feedback. In other words, mature managers.

This text is taken from the wibas customer magazine.