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July 11th 2019

Wouter Aghina & Dave West

How to select and develop individuals for successful agile teams

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Who are we

Wouter Aghinais passionate about agile because of his children

Dave Westis passionate about helping teams and teams of teams solve complex problems

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Simple work is being replaced by complex work

VS.

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The digital age: an unprecedented number of opportunities for organizations to create value

Increased customer expectations and new ways

to engage

Employees with very different expectations

and needs

The rise of machine learning, AI and

automation

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1 Agile is a means to an end, not an end in itself

Agile is not a synonym for scrum

Agile is a fundamental shift across five trademarks, covering the entire organization

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Our core beliefs

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Five trademarks of agile organizations

Network of cross-functional, empowered teams

Small, empowered teams with the right capabilities and clear missions that can rapidly be deployed and are organized in as few layers as possible

Rapid decision and learning cycles

Work carried out in short iterations with the goal of minimizing risk through testing and learning

Dynamic people model that ignites passion

Culture focused on fostering, attracting and retaining talent, through empowerment, servant leadership and job satisfaction

TechnologyStrategy Structure Process People

Clear North Star to which entire organization (management and employees) is aligned and working towards

North Star embodied across the organization

Simplified, modular technology stack (e.g., DevOps, Cloud) to support quick iterations, higher deployment velocity and resiliency

Next generation enabling technology

Link: The five trademarks of agile organizations

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Question:

Who are the right people to work in an agile organization?

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Ability to handle ambiguity

Outcome orientation

Team orientation

We researched personality traits and work values which support three agile principles

Link: How to select and develop individuals for successful agile teams: A practical guide

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What is the most important personality trait for people in an agile organization?

Handles ambiguityFlexible, adjustable, yielding, tractable, willing

AgreeablenessTrusting/appreciative, straightforward, altruistic, compliant/kind, modest, tender-minded

ExtroversionWarm, gregarious, assertive, enthusiastic (activity-seeking), excitement seeking, prone to positive emotions

ConscientiousnessCompetent, prefers order, dutiful, achievement striving, self-disciplined, deliberate

OpennessIntrospective, curious, imaginative, insightful, original, wide interests

NeuroticismAnxious, hostile, depressed, self-conscious, impulsive, vulnerable

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Relative importance of personality traits

1,5

1,0

0,7

0,6

-0,5

-3,2

Conscientiousness

Openness

Handles ambiguity

Agreeableness

Neuroticism

Extroversion

Mean importance across all values Relatively less important Relatively more important

!

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Agreeableness - the secret sauce for success?

Yes, and vs.

Yes, but

Agreeableness (Friendly/compassionate vs Challenging/detached).

Tendency to be compassionate and cooperative rather than suspicious and antagonistic towards others. It also a measure of ones trusting and helpful nature, and whether a person is generally well tempered or not. High agreeableness is often seen as naïve or submissive. Low agreeableness personalities are often competitive or challenging people which can be seen as argumentative or untrustworthy.

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Question:

What are the implications of this finding for leaders in agile organizations?

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What are the most important work values for people in an agile organization?

Pride in productEmphasize product ownership, its values and contributions

Customer centricEmphasize pursuit of fulfilling customers’ needs and preferences

Openness to changeEmphasize independence of thought, action, and readiness for change

Self-transcendence Emphasize concern for the welfare and interests of organizational colleagues

Self-enhancementEmphasize pursuit of one’s own interests and relative success over that of organizational colleagues

ConservationEmphasize order, preservation of the past, and resistance to organizational change

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Relative importance of work values

2,0

1,1

0,6

-0,1

-0,8

-2,9

Openness to change

Customer-centrism

Pride in product

Self-transcendence

Self-enhancement

Conservation

Mean importance across all values Relatively less important Relatively more important

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Question:

What are the implications of this finding for leaders in agile organizations?

McKinsey & Company 16

Understanding and Support the Change

”Knowing Yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” Aristotle

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1 Certain personality traits and work values are crucial for success in agile organizations

You can select for these traits and values when hiring

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Three take-aways for leaders in agile organizations

3 And help people understand who they are and who they want to be

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When hiring, focus on four things

Outcomes, customer value and a big vision

What gets you excited?

If money was no objective what would you do?

Mentoring, helping others, valuing teams

When did you last help someone?

When did someone last help you?

Interested in the customer, care about their pains

What would you ask the customer?

How would you measure their success?

Proud of their work, care about their craft

Describe something you are proud of

Describe something you are disappointed with

McKinsey & Company 19

The thought manifests as the word;The word manifests as the deed;The deed develops into habit;And habit hardens into character;

And When Coaching Encourage Transparency and Learning

Ultimately, it is in your hands