agile reorgs: a survival guide
TRANSCRIPT
Agile Reorgs: A Survival Guide
KATY SAULPAUGH, PRACTICE LEAD
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 THE DILEMMA AROUND REORGS2 HOW TO PERCEIVE LOSS AND CHANGE3 SURVIVAL TIP 1: PREPARATION4 SURVIVAL TIP 2: EMPOWERMENT5 SURVIVAL TIP 3: RESILIENCE
THE DILEMMATO REORG OR NOT TO REORG
We tend to meet any new situation by reorganization, and a wonderful method it is for creating the illusion of progress at the mere cost of confusion, inefficiency and demoralization.
- Charlton Ogburn
WHY DOES EVERYONE HATE REORGS?
illusion of progressdemoralization
IF YOU DON’T REORG
People will revert to old habits
Your structure will often be top heavy
Your teams will not be cross-functional
People will lose interest and trust
You won’t be agile
IF YOU REORG BADLY
Agile is the “bad guy”
People will be demoralized and turnover will increase
You will spend more time and money correcting mistakes
You won’t be agile
CAN YOU REALLY BE AGILE WITH…
THE SAME ROLES
THE SAME STRATEGY THE SAME REWARDS
THE SAME PROCESSES THE SAME TEAM SIZE
THE SAME STRUCTURE
REORG RULES1.Move to a new table or row2.You may not sit next to
someone you know3.Introduce yourself to your
new neighbors
PERCEPTIONS OF CHANGEHELPING OTHERS DEAL WITH LOSS
1. DENIAL 2. ANGER 3. BARGAINING 4. DEPRESSION 5. ACCEPTANCE
AMBIGUOUS LOSS AND CHANGE
“There is no such thing as closure – we have to live with loss, clear or ambiguous, and it’s okay.”
– Pauline Boss
Translation: people don’t have to “get over” the change, because change will never be “over.”
But they don’t have to fixate on it either.
SURVIVAL TIPS
PATIENCE PREPARATION EMPOWERMENT
RESILIENCE CONCLUSION
01
02
03
Use strong communications
techniques to help people have
the right expectations
going into a reorg
Build “gritty” organizations that
are able to weather future
reorgs and other bumps in the
road
Find ways to involve people
that are not just lip service and
that have a positive impact
on the reorg effort
SURVIVAL TIP 1PREPARING WITH THE RIGHT EXPECTATIONS
BUSINESS VALUE OF AGILE
WE NEED TO REORG TO…RELEASE PRODUCTS MORE OFTENMAKE COLLABORATION WITH CUSTOMERS EASIERBECOME MORE EFFICIENT IN OUR PROCESSESEMPOWER TEAMS TO MAKE MORE DECISIONS
Find out how people process information in
your organization
Saying you don’t know is OK and is much better
than saying nothing
Figure out the best way to push
and pull information
Don’t make the agile coach
always deliver the message
The scarier the change, the
more frequent the
communications
SURVIVAL TIP 2FINDING A SENSE OF EMPOWERMENT
EMPOWERING TEAMS
Conduct a large group design charrette to workshop out how a new agile functional model might work
Create other opportunities to give feedback in a focus group or informal format
Craft a path for resolving disputes
Lessons:
Involve people in initial discussions to promote understanding
Allow people to bring new insights to leadership
Bring emergent problems to the team
SURVIVAL TIP 3BUILDING RESILIENCE TO CHANGE
THE FUTURE NEED FOR AGILE REORGS
• 2/3 of IT organizations are either fully agile or or leaning toward agile
• Scaling agile is increasing: 57% of organizations use Agile for program management; 51% use Agile for portfolio management
• Agile approaches are being used for teams outside of IT such as marketing and HR
HOW OFTEN AGILE PROJECT MANAGEMENT IS USED(PMI PULSE OF THE PROFESSION, 2016)
Always9%
Often28%
Sometimes31%
Rarely17%
Never15%
BUILDING TEAM RESILIENCE
INTERVEN-TIONS
SET AN EXAMPLE
CREATE MEANING
TELL THE STORY
Allot time for teams to reflect and create shared meaning and norms with each major change
Most organizations
need to iterate on their
organization structures –
what have they learned?
Leaders should not give up or “take a fall” after one difficult change in their organizations
SURVIVAL TIPS
PATIENCE PREPARATION EMPOWERMENT
RESILIENCE CONCLUSION
01
02
03
Use strong communications
techniques to help people have
the right expectations
going into a reorg
Build “gritty” organizations that
are able to weather future
reorgs and other bumps in the
road
Find ways to involve people
that are not just lip service and
that have a positive impact
on the reorg effort
IT’S TIME FOR QUESTIONS!
Q A&
THANKS FOR LISTENING
Q & A SESSION
