Nyle Casey 
Empirical studies have demonstrated that Agile management practices can systematically handle complex project issues, eg, related to people and organisation, user requirements prioritisation, and communications and coordination.
While it starts in software development, Agile is applicable in any industry. Teams that use Agile approaches can deliver useful pieces of a product frequently – and then course correct.
Embracing Change
The Agile change management framework strives to overcome change resistance by creating more sustainable work-rhythms and improving ongoing engagement and iterative feedback along the way.
Instead of allowing project milestones to progress regardless of the effort, like in more traditional project management structures, Agile encourages teams to iterate towards producing value for the end-user every step along the way, thus identifying potential obstacles early on before they become giant, progress-slowing stop signs.
Angli then. We also know that Agile delivers on end-user needs by doing frequent ‘check ins’ and adjusting project objectives based on the feedback that you, the end-user, supply over time. This means that with Agile you will also be much more satisfied as a customer and, accordingly, your organisation will be able to keep up with consumer trends and needs.
Agile project management methods are better able to handle unexpected challenges than other project management methodologies, for example, if the launch of a new product needs to be postponed; if working on a successful pilot comes first, and only then readjusting the priorities of the entire project, and – unlike other methodologies – reduces delays that interfere with overall schedules and budgets, which companies that operate in regulated and non-regulated industries alike now appreciate.
Developing Adaptability
Agile approaches help organisations become nimble by fostering openness to change, team autonomy and ongoing improvement. Agile teams typically have daily meetings and periodic ‘retrospectives’ to discuss issues openly and flexibly change the way they work; they also encourage employees to build goals that can flex as circumstances change.
In Agile, sprints of working software are continually delivered and any adjustment is allowed – even one per cent improvements can add up to total 100 per cent success for the project.
Ultimately, agile project management structures have an empathic approach to managing projects, which could be a helpful way for companies to address resistance from employees. Ensuring that people leaders and project managers communicate openly as to why it’s important to reduce the resistance that may arise, and that there’s enough training to professionals implementing this management style on projects, will help the above-stated situation. Furthermore, it is helpful to establish ongoing communication channels with all the employees using clear ways that will minimise resistance due to increased pace of work.
Integrating Technology
The Agile framework is a more fluid alternative to the tightly sequenced reporting structures of traditional project management, and aims through increased collaboration – and the iteration of smaller phases – to allow teams to deal more quickly with unexpected problems, rather than waiting until the completion of an entire stage before a revised specification is produced.
Agile culture stresses team diversity, bringing together employees with diverse skills to form mixed teams, and some agile methods use self-organisation, where teams take charge of their work with a high degree of autonomy. This usually fosters a productivity boost. Agile methods rely on tools such a Kanban, a visual to-do list that increases the transparency of an organisation and optimises its workflow. Kanban encourages team members to talk with each other, share ideas, and hold many memorable face-to-face meetings.
Agile methodology places a priority on customer needs, offers employees regular feedback and a clearly defined road map for success, and encourages realtime course-corrections (for example, one-on-one meetings between managers and employees are extremely valuable for this). More precisely, as a component of overall management, it creates high levels of psychological safety for team members by offering regular feedback and running frequent check-ins with leaders. This means frequent meetings between managers and employees to discuss how well they are doing, ensuring realtime course-corrections as needed, as well as open channels of communication accessible to any employee at any time, so that they can express themselves without reservation or fear of the consequences.
Developing Emotional Intelligence
Alongside these proficiencies, agile teams also need to function well together. Team EQ is important here: in a year-long study of Google’s best performing teams, one of the most important factors that researchers found was a feeling of psychological safety. This is when teams work together in a space where everybody feels comfortable being heard at work without the worry of other team members kicking them out.
Good Agile managers intuitively understand this, so they create an environment that allows for autonomy and collaboration, they ensure business people and technical teams talk to each other so that product features and customer requirements don’t drift apart. And they keep communications as face-to-face as possible, measuring progress by the delivery of working software rather than projects.
Transforming to an Agile workplace takes work and investment, but the competitive advantage of an Agile organisation is a successful application of Agile principles to managing change. To learn more about how Agile practices can work for your organisation, contact the Prosci Advisory team.
About Author
