La Fosse hosted an exclusive agile leadership event for CTOs and Directors of Tech.
We were delighted to host Kelly Walters, a prize-winning Agile blogger, who has led several international organisational transformations to Agile.
The event was set up in Lean Coffee Format and provided an opportunity for peer-learning and conversation.
Discussions on the night
- Silo vs Multi-Disciplinary Teams
- Does Offshoring Work?
- C-level Buy In
- Misconception That Agile Will Solve ‘All’ Problems
- Business vs IT
- Change Fatigue & Fear of the Unknown
10½ key takeaways for leaders working in the Agile space
1. Do a lot less. Cut back and get things done.
2. Everyone’s unpredictable. You need to be comfortable with ambiguity. Value flexibility rather than certainty.
3. Learn fast. Failing is good learning, but not a great strategy.
4. Keep the main thing, the main thing. Create small multi-disciplined teams, but with a clear shared purpose.
5. Value > cost. Focus on value, rather than the costs.
6. Lead, don’t manage. Mastery, autonomy and purpose motivate good people – not money.
7. Grin and bear It. Be open to tough messages. Agile doesn’t solve your problems, it highlights them.
8. Think big, start small. Consider how the big vision can be realised by delivering small bite-sized pieces.
9. Listen up. Collaboration is key – we all have a voice, and an important one. Value your team’s opinion.
10. Be the agile you want to see in the world. If you want people to be Agile, you must be Agile yourself.
10½. Don’t be a zombie. Along the way, a lot of businesses lose the ability to think for themselves.
Testimonials
“A really engaging evening. The presentations were excellent, as were the discussions we had during the exercises.”
Clive Smith – Executive Change Agent
“It was great to attend an event that focuses on Agile Managers, as this is a critical time for that community.”
Chris Matts – Agile Transformation Consultant & Coach.