Let me start by saying that I am not demeaning the Scrum Guide in any way. The Scrum framework has changed the world for the better in ways that are impossible to fully quantify simply because of the scale of its impact. Teams are empowered - with Scrum - to respond and adapt to complex environments in ways that would have been impossible without the collaborative and incremental approach fostered by the Scrum framework.
That being said, the Scrum framework "just" guides the interactions of the Scrum Team itself. While the guide hints at the need for organizational changes that support Agility, these changes are not described by the Scrum Guide. This has led to many misconceptions about management in Scrum, but those misconceptions arise from a simple misunderstanding: the Scrum Guide does not describe the organizational changes that are needed to support high-performing Scrum teams.
That's because the organization needs to figure out how to best use Agility within their unique environment. There is no out-of-the-box roadmap or toolkit for that. In this article, we will highlight some of the things that an origination should pay attention to on their continuously evolving journey.
Leadership Alignment
Many organizations underestimate the importance of executive and middle management support for Agile teams. It's not enough to just say, "Yes, let's be Agile". Leaders must shift from a command-and-control mindset to a model that empowers and trusts teams. There's nothing more frustrating than being part of a Scrum Team whose performance is being micromanaged and controlled. Here are a few examples of how leaders can better support Agile teams.
Empower Teams to Decide How They Work
In Agile environments, leaders need to allow teams to self-organize, deciding together who works on which tasks and how they accomplish their goals. This empowerment fosters accountability, innovation, and a higher level of engagement. Oh - and by the way - it leads to much better outcomes for the customer and greater value for the organization.
Refocus on Outcomes, Not Just Output
Most managers really want their teams to succeed. But how they go about that in an Agile environment has to be different. Rather than measuring success by throughput alone (such as counting the number of tasks completed), leaders should evaluate customer outcomes, value creation, and overall team culture. (That's a lot easier said than done. For more on this topic, join our Evidence-based Management course.)
Focus on Removing Impediments
An important part of a leader's focus should be on removing impediments. Impediments can be organizational - such as outdated policies or unnecessary layers of approval. Or impediments may be more technical such as not having the right tools or access to the software tools that they need.
Build a Strong Team Culture
Culture is the foundation of high-performing Agile teams. Leaders play a critical role in shaping and sustaining this culture, fostering an environment where team members feel psychologically safe, respected, and valued. A strong team culture encourages open communication, trust, and a willingness to experiment and learn from failure. Leaders can nurture this culture by modeling these values themselves, showing vulnerability, and encouraging feedback.
Continuously Evolving the Vision and Strategy for Agility
Agility requires focus, and - like the Scrum Team itself - organizational Agility requires a vision. Many organizations have begun to establish a centralized responsibility for organizational Agility. Whether this is a Director of Agility, Agile Transformation Manager, Coach, or Vice President, this person is generally responsible for ensuring that the organization is supporting Agility through its processes, mindset, culture, tools, and more. Some of the things that are often under the purview of this individual or team include the vision, training, coaching, Scrum Masters, community of practice, and more. In this section, we will just focus on the vision and training.
Establish a Clear Vision and Purpose for Agility
An Agile Transformation without a clear purpose can feel hollow and often leads to misalignment and frustration. Leaders should set a clear vision that aligns with the organization’s goals, whether it's improving customer satisfaction, becoming more responsive to market changes, or fostering innovation.
Invest in Scrum Training and Knowledge Sharing
Teams need skills and understanding to make agile work effectively. By investing in Scrum training for team members, leaders, and stakeholders, organizations set the foundation for success, ensuring everyone has the knowledge to contribute to a sustainable transformation.
Continuous Coaching Support
Ongoing coaching support helps maintain agile momentum and encourages continuous improvement. Coaches are key to reinforcing practices, answering questions, and providing feedback as teams and leaders alike adapt to new ways of working.
Coaches help team members understand their roles, like the Product Owner’s responsibility for maximizing value or the Scrum Master’s role in facilitating productivity. Leaders, too, benefit from coaching to help them understand how to support agile teams and measure success in new ways.
Other frameworks!?!
Dare I say it? Other frameworks - not to mention complimentary practices - could be on the menu. Scrum is - of course - the most popular Agile framework, but teams should be empowered to consider other frameworks. Because agile teams are self-managing, they should have the flexibility to decide which framework aligns with their work, whether it’s Scrum, Kanban, or another approach.
When three or more Scrum Teams support a single Product, they may need to consider adopting a Scaling framework to help streamline communications. Frameworks like Nexus are a simple way to help with this without adding unnecessary overhead.
Product Definition
Scrum thrives in environments with cross-functional teams, where every skill needed to deliver the product is present within the team. But before cross-functional teams can be created, organizations must first define the product. Clear product definition helps in removing dependencies that often slow down delivery and hamper agility.
For example, if a team relies on another department for essential skills, it can slow down value delivery. By clearly defining the product and aligning teams around it, organizations can build the right team structures to reduce dependencies. Because this is so important to organizational agility, Rebel Scrum offers a Product Definition Workshop that can improve alignment and accelerate value delivery for your organization and accelerate
Conclusion
Organizational Agility requires more than just the Scrum framework. You could even say that the Scrum framework is a small part of a greater effort that focuses on things like leadership alignment, vision, coaching, and product definition.
To supercharge your organization's agility, contact Rebel Scrum. From aligning around the right products to finding the right training for your organization to creating a roadmap for success, we have everything you need to make your teams successful.
Check out the new Illustrated Scrum Myths book by Mary Iqbal. This book presents 74 Scrum Myths, each revealing truths about the framework. Is your vendor asking for excessive details on each Product Backlog item? Maybe they don’t understand your needs, or your teams are too siloed. The key is uncovering the truth behind each myth.