Presentation at the Scrum Gathering in Paris, 2013-09-23. Part of an interactive session as described on www.p-a-m.org. The presentation builds on Ed Schein´s model of organizational culture and applies it to Agile. What do we need to successfully introduce and nurture an Agile culture? Two case studies show some answers to this question.

1. Culture eats Agile
for Breakfast
Sigi Kaltenecker
Peter Hundermark
Scrum Gathering, Paris, 2013

2. Organizational Culture...
“...is both a dynamic phenomenon that
surrounds us at all times, being constantly
enacted and created by our interactions
with others and shaped by leadership
behavior, and a set of structures, routines,
rules, and norms that guide and constrain
behavior”.

3. Organizational Culture is...
…the way we do things around here
…a pattern of shared basic assumptions how
to behave, lead, solve problems and succeed
…seen as kind of the nature of our business
…both a mental model and a set of
emotionally rooted activities

4. WTF
is
water?
Blub

5. 3 Levels of Culture
Artifacts: Visual structures
and processes
Underlying assumptions:
Taken-for-granted beliefs, thoughts and
feelings
Espoused values: Official
strategies, goals, philosophies
?

6. Agile Culture
Artifacts:
Underlying
assumptions:
Espoused values:
“Trust is good, control is better”
“You can´t let the monkeys run the zoo”
“I won´t pay anyone for slack”

7. Artifacts:
Underlying
assumptions:
Agile Culture
Espoused values:
We are brilliant alone and idiots together
Leadership is a trait of great managers
Internal efficiency comes first
People are still rewarded individually
“We believe in team work”
“We support self-organization”
Line Managers are ScrumMasters
“Our focus is on customer value”
Bureaucratic cost controlling

8. Why these contradictions?
Mind your blind spots

9. Conclusions
...detect and provide feedback on cultural
dysfunctionalities
...be mindful how to introduce Agile
....increase the level of psychological safety to
let go
...decrease the anxiety to learn new things

10. Client S

11. Stage 1 – “Burning Platform”

12. STAGE 2 –
“COMPLIANCE”

13. Stage 3 –
“Continuous
Improvement”
(just starting)

14. Unsuccessful intervention?
1.“Controlling” culture
overtook everything
2.Loss of Sponsor’s trust
3.Failure to build other
support
4.Tide is turning?

15. Client M

16. “Continuous
Improvement”
from the start
•“Pop-corn” work arrival
•No visibility or predictability
•Too much work-in-process
•Executive goal is sustainability

17. Progress &
Challenges
•Visibility and
limiting WIP
•Flow?
•PMO & portfolio
board?
•Group
organisational
restructure?

18. Observations
Trust vs fear
Support for change
Long- vs short-termism
Top-down vs bottom-up
“Controlling” vs “Cultivative”
culture

19. Thank you!
@sigikaltenecker
@peterhunderm28 Mitarbeitern
www.loop-beratung.at
www.scrumsense.com