How Running Taught Me Agile Improvement

Small Team Truths #2: If you can’t tell who owns it, your team is already too big. On Sunday, I shared how in small teams every contribution is visible. There’s simply no place to hide. But in big teams? Responsibility gets blurry. When many people “own” something, no one truly owns the outcome. I’ve seen it happen: a daily stand-up that stretched to 2.5 hours. It should have been 15 minutes. That’s what happens when visibility fades. 👉 What big teams can learn from small ones: ▪️Make work visible → hold a weekly demo where the team shows results, not slides. ▪️Limit work in progress → max 3 tasks “in progress” at once (Kanban WIP limit). ▪️Protect rituals → keep the daily to 15 min; move deep dives to a quick follow-up. ▪️Assign clear outcome owners → one accountable person per feature/release. Agile was designed to bring this small-team clarity into large groups. Sometimes it works. Often, process grows but visibility doesn’t. 💬 What’s one practical thing that has helped your large team stay accountable? ➡️ Next: Agile’s promise vs. its messy reality - and how to close that gap. #Leadership #Agile #TeamDynamics #Scrum #WorkCulture

Leading distributed Agile teams across time zones and cultures for 18+ years has taught me one thing: Agile is as much about people as it is about processes. Managing teams remotely is tough — communication gaps, cultural nuances, and time zone hurdles can slow us down. But these challenges are also opportunities to innovate how we collaborate. Here’s what’s worked for me: ✅ Use the right tools AND create daily habits — consistent check-ins and clear documentation keep everyone on the same page. ✅ Build a culture of respect and empathy — understanding differences turns diversity into strength. ✅ Rotate meeting times and embrace asynchronous work — fairness and flexibility are key to team trust. ✅ Prioritize dependency management with PI Planning and Scrum of Scrums to prevent bottlenecks. ✅ Standardize Agile practices with training, coaching, and constant feedback loops. Distributed Agile teams can be incredible engines of innovation — when we lead with intention and care. 🔥 What’s your biggest distributed team challenge? How are you tackling it? Let’s exchange ideas and grow together! #AgileLeadership #ScrumMaster #RemoteTeams #DistributedAgile #ContinuousImprovement #Teamwork

There are many misconceptions about flexibility in Agile environments: 👉 “Everyone just does whatever they want.” 👉 “There’s no plan.” 👉 “It’s pure chaos.” 👉 “No one is accountable.” 👉 “Less control = less focus.” 👉 “Flexibility is a luxury.” But the truth is very different. 🔹 More planning = more flexibility. Just like when traveling with a map. If you change your route, it’s easier to adjust because you know where you are and where you’re headed. 🔹 Changes aren’t random. They happen at specific times and places, based on plans, risks, and resources. 🔹 Accountability is clear! In Agile teams, everyone knows their role, their responsibilities, and their decision-making space. 🔹 Flexibility isn’t a luxury! It’s an essential part of Agile thinking, built into every decision, process, and interaction, allowing teams to adapt quickly and thrive. ❗️Flexibility isn’t chaos! It’s focus, responsibility, and the freedom to adapt when it counts.❗️ What’s the biggest misconception about Agile flexibility you’ve encountered? 💬 #Agile #Scrum #ScrumMaster #ProjectManagement #Leadership #Teamwork #Coaching #AgileDelivery #CareerGrowth

***Scrum tip that boosted my team’s delivery by 40%…*** One of the biggest mistakes I see in Agile teams is this: 👉 They celebrate starting work instead of finishing it. A cluttered board with too many “In Progress” items is not a sign of productivity—it’s a sign of hidden bottlenecks. Here’s what worked for us: Limit Work in Progress (WIP). Encourage swarming on fewer items. Move focus from “starting” to “finishing.” The result? ✅ Faster delivery ✅ Better collaboration ✅ A team that values outcomes, not outputs Remember: A half-done task delivers zero value. A done task delivers business impact. #goodpractices #teamhandlig #productivitiy #winningteam #agile

One of our Senior Technical Authors, Denise Marshall, examines how agile retrospectives can support continuous improvement and build a more collaborative team culture. Explore hands-on guidance for leading effective retrospectives, identifying key challenges, and transforming friction into forward momentum. Read more at https://hubs.la/Q03C8fDg0 #TechnicalWriting #Agile #TipsAndTricks

The Impacts of Agile Management on Innovative Climate and Individual Innovative Behavior By: Jin Feng Uen, Shu-Yuan Chen, Ya-Hsin Wang & Shan-Kuei Teng We investigate the effects of two components of agile management—agile practices and agile mindset—across various industries through quantitative research. Previous research on agile management at the organizational level has chiefly involved case studies or conceptual discussions. We address the gap in quantitative empirical research by developing a scale for an agile mindset. This study follows Hinkin's suggestion on the scale-development process. The data were collected in two phases, totaling 371 responses. The first phase used 200 questionnaires for exploratory factor analysis to validate the scale. The second phase gathered 171 questionnaires from 51 teams for confirmatory factor analysis and hierarchical linear modeling. We found that a team's agile mindset and agile practices can promote an innovative climate within the team, enhancing individual innovative behavior. We underscore that an agile mindset is an individual attitude and can be a shared action guideline within the team. Read the full article... https://lnkd.in/gbKjxGcB #agile #management #agile #practice #agile #mindset #team #innovative #climate #individual #behavior

🚫 𝐓𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞? You're not alone—and there's a better way. One of the most powerful shifts organizations experience with the #LeSS (Large-Scale Scrum) framework is the ability to eliminate dependencies, not just manage them. In traditional scaling models, dependencies are treated as inevitable. We introduce roles, tools, and layers to "handle" them. But what if the real solution is to redesign the system so those dependencies disappear? 🔍 With LeSS, we reduce handoffs, align teams to customer-centric features (not components), and enable true cross-functional collaboration—all of which remove the need for painful coordination mechanisms. 💡 𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞: - No more dependency boards - Fewer status meetings - Teams delivering real end-to-end value—independently Join me #October 30 & 31 (2 half-day sessions) for a Certified LeSS Basics #virtual workshop, where we'll explore how to: ✅ Organize around value ✅ Remove organizational waste ✅ Simplify coordination through systems thinking Let’s stop managing complexity and start removing it. 🔗 Learn more & register by clicking the link in the comments below ⬇️ #LeSS #Scrum #Agile #OrganizationalDesign #ProductDevelopment #AgileLeadership #CertifiedLeSS #ScrumTrainer #AgileTransformation

Small Team Truths #3 - Agile was meant to make big teams feel like small teams. Last time, I shared how large teams can learn from small ones. Agile was designed to do exactly that. In theory, it’s brilliant: ▪️Small, cross-functional teams (7 ± 2 people) ▪️Short iterations with visible outcomes ▪️Daily stand-ups under 15 minutes ▪️Shared ownership across the team But in practice, things sometimes go sideways. I’ve seen daily meetings where instead of quick updates, people slip into long storytelling or even conflicts between just two individuals - while the rest of the team sits and watches. Often, this happens because the Scrum Master (or whoever moderates) doesn’t step in: ▪️Maybe out of hesitation or self-doubt. ▪️Maybe out of curiosity. ▪️Maybe not realizing the emotional toll on the rest of the team. This leaves us with some tough questions: ▪️Does this pattern repeat? ▪️Why? ▪️What strategies can fix it, so motivation doesn’t drop and time isn’t wasted? 💬 What’s the most frustrating Agile “anti-pattern” you’ve seen ? How did your team try to fix it? ➡️ Next: the golden rules for daily stand-ups that actually energize your team. #Leadership #Agile #Scrum #TeamDynamics #WorkCulture

🚀 Why Team-Building Activities Matters in Agile Development In Agile organizations, success isn’t just about sprints, stand-ups, or user stories it’s about people. Team-building activities play a crucial role for trust, collaboration, and open communication, which are the heart of Agile principles. ✅ Stronger Collaboration – Activities help break silos, making cross-functional teamwork natural and seamless. ✅ Boosted Morale – A connected team stays motivated, engaged, and ready to tackle challenges. ✅ Better Problem-Solving – When people trust each other, innovation and creative solutions flow more easily. ✅ Resilience in Change – Agile thrives on adaptability, and a united team embraces change with confidence. Whether it’s a virtual coffee chat, a hackathon, or a fun retrospective exercise, investing in team bonding is investing in delivery success. Remember: Agile is more than a methodology it’s a mindset. And that mindset starts with strong, connected teams. 💡 #AgileDevelopment #TeamBuilding #Leadership #Scrum #AgileCulture #Teamwork #EmployeeEngagement #Collaboration #WorkCulture #AgileMindset #Innovation #Productivity

Kicking Off: 10 Agile Sparks to Transform Teams Day 3: Scrum Thrives on Simplicity — Not Overhead Scrum is designed to be lightweight, but many teams overload it with extra layers of meetings, templates, and rules. The result? More process compliance than value delivery. ✨ Here’s how to simplify Scrum without losing effectiveness: 1️⃣ Cut Overhead – Eliminate meetings or reports that don’t drive decisions. 2️⃣ Focus on Outcomes – Every event (Planning, Daily Scrum, Retro) should move work forward, not drain time. 3️⃣ Faster Decisions – A lean process helps prioritize quickly and adapt faster. 4️⃣ Team Empowerment – Give teams the autonomy to self-organize rather than micromanaging with checklists. 5️⃣ Sustainable Pace – A simpler system avoids burnout and keeps energy on delivering value. 💡 Pro Tip: Ask in every meeting: “What decision or action comes out of this?” If the answer is none, you probably don’t need the meeting. 💡 Reflection: Scrum isn’t about doing more ceremonies — it’s about creating space for teams to focus on real outcomes. Simplicity = productivity + clarity. Curious to hear your perspective on this: Where have you simplified Scrum in your team — and what difference did it make? #Scrum #Agile #Simplification #ScrumMaster #AgileLeadership #TeamEfficiency #ContinuousImprovement #BusinessAgility #TeamCollaboration #AgilePractices #AgileCoaching #LeanThinking #AgileMindset