Agile way of working, part 2

How to avoid Agile fatigue?

Focus on delivering value: At the core of agility is understanding and responding to customer needs. Instead of concentrating solely on schedules and features, it is important to set clear business objectives and measure success based on customer's criteria and values. For example, success can be measured through customer satisfaction, sales growth or improved productivity.

Simplify: By eliminating unnecessary processes and focusing on what matters, we free up time for creativity and innovation. Let’s start with meetings: do we really need every meeting? Could decisions be made more efficiently? When we cut out the unnecessary, we save time and can focus on the most important things. The same applies to tasks and information management: automate routines, delegate tasks and ensure that information is easy to find.

Give teams freedom: Agile working requires teams to take ownership of their work and make decisions themselves. When we trust teams and give them the opportunity to decide how they work, we increase their engagement and motivation. For example, a team can decide which tools they want to use and how they divide tasks among themselves.

Create a culture of experimentation: Failure is part of the learning process. Encourage teams to boldly try new ideas and ways of working. When we create an environment where mistakes are seen as opportunities to learn, we can promote innovation and find new, better ways to work. For example, a team might try a new working method such as pair programming - and then evaluate whether it works.

Continuous improvement: Agile working is an ongoing learning process. Regular retrospectives are held to assess how the way of working can be improved. In these sessions, teams reflect together on what went well and where there is room for improvement. The goal is to find new ways to work more efficiently and effectively. For example, a retrospective might consider how to improve collaboration between different teams, how to speed up decision-making or how to reduce workload.

Agility is a journey, not a destination. Continuous learning and improvement are the keys to success.

What do you think are the best ways to avoid agile fatigue? What concrete experiences do you have in successfully avoiding fatigue? Have external experts’ insights and peer knowledge helped advance the culture of experimentation?

Sari Hildén

Change Leader

Talent Network

#agility #change management #leadership #working life #innovation