Over the years, agility has become a buzzword in the corporate world, often touted as the ultimate solution to all organisational challenges. But as someone who has worked extensively in this space, I have serious concerns about how agility is promoted and understood, particularly by those new to the field. From my experience, there is no such thing as “pure agility,” and the rigid application of frameworks directly from books has often led to negative experiences for many organisations.
The Myth of Pure Agility
Agility, at its core, is about adaptability, collaboration, and delivering value incrementally. However, the misconception that agility can be implemented in its purest form, without any adaptation, is one of the biggest reasons organisations struggle. The reality is that every organisation is unique, with its own culture, processes, and challenges. Expecting a one-size-fits-all framework to work is unrealistic.
Inexperienced practitioners sometimes fall into the trap of rigidly applying frameworks like Scrum, SAFe, or LeSS word for word, believing that adherence to the book will guarantee success. What they fail to recognise is that these frameworks are guidelines—starting points that need to be tailored to fit the specific context of an organisation. When they are not adapted, teams can feel constrained, and the essence of agility—flexibility and continuous improvement—is lost.
Why Organisations Have Negative Experiences with Agility
Through research and observation, I’ve identified several reasons why organisations encounter negativity around agility. These include:
- Scalability Issues: Applying Agile practices in large organisations or complex projects can be challenging without proper tailoring. Agile wasn’t initially designed for large-scale operations, and frameworks that address scale, like SAFe, Scrum at Scale or a hybrid method require careful customisation.
- Perception as a Trend: Agile is sometimes viewed as a management fad, with organisations jumping on the bandwagon without understanding the fundamental principles. This leads to superficial implementations that fail to deliver results.
- Implementation Challenges: Resistance to change, inconsistent results, and lack of alignment across teams are common pain points. Transitioning to Agile requires commitment at all levels, which is often underestimated.
- Burnout and Overload: The fast pace and continuous delivery expectations of Agile can lead to team burnout if not managed sustainably.
- Overemphasis on Tools and Processes: Agile often becomes about the ceremonies and tools rather than focusing on collaboration and value delivery. Teams lose sight of the “why” behind the processes.
The Role of Tailoring in Successful Agility
The key to overcoming these challenges lies in tailoring agility to align with organisational needs. This means:
- Blending Traditional Practices with Agile Principles: Not every aspect of traditional ways of working is flawed. Many organisations benefit from a hybrid approach, where Agile is layered on top of existing structures.
- Educating Leaders and Teams: Helping leaders understand that Agile is not a silver bullet and requires patience, flexibility, and alignment with organisational goals.
- Focusing on Sustainable Practices: Prioritising team well-being and realistic delivery expectations ensures that agility becomes a long-term practice rather than a short-lived experiment.
- Customising Frameworks: Instead of adopting frameworks wholesale, organisations should use them as inspiration and adapt them to their unique needs.
Moving Forward: Realistic Agility
For agility to succeed, it’s time we moved away from promoting “pure agility” as a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, we need to acknowledge the nuances and complexities of organisational contexts. By respecting these differences and tailoring approaches, we can turn the negative perceptions of agility into positive, transformative experiences.
At Direct Agile Limited, we specialise in helping organisations navigate these challenges by creating customised transformation plans that respect their unique needs and blend traditional and Agile practices. By focusing on sustainable, realistic agility, we aim to build a future where organisations can truly thrive in an ever-changing world.
