We outline a fundamentally different approach for organizational change: one where valuing people is integral to building lasting success. Agile and Lean are a means to an end. Once we are clear what our goals are and our approach is consistent with what we truly value, then we may hope for success. When we simplify the Agile Manifesto’s “Individuals and Interactions over Processes and Tools” we get “People over Process”. Agile is about people. It’s about a people-first culture. Lean is simliar. Sadly, many organizations are mired in organizational debt: mistrust, politics and fear. Changing the process won’t fix this. We need to go to the root of it - to find a way to talk about and shift to a healthier culture: one that values people. The VAST (Vulnerability, Authentic Connection, Safety and Trust) model makes the dynamics of human systems visible and clarifies where we may apply leverage to foster lasting change.

1. People
—————
Process
@MichaelSahota

2. Agile is about People
@MichaelSahota

3. Where Does Agile Come
from?
Let’s Look at the Source.

5. Credit:
h*p://www.krivitsky.com/2011/10/offshore-­‐outsourcing-­‐Alex
Krivitsky and-­‐agile.html

6. Individuals and interactions over processes and tools

7. Individuals and interactions
over
processes and tools

8. Individuals and interactions
processes and tools

9. People
Individuals and interactions
processes and tools

10. People
Process

11. Lean is about People
@MichaelSahota

14. “When you go out into the workplace,
you should be looking for things that
you can do for your people there.
…
You’ve got to be looking for changes
you can make for the benefit of the
people who are working there.”
- Taiichi Ohno

15. Losing Sight of People = Failure
@MichaelSahota

17. “The typical approach used
to initiate Agile is
inconsistent with Agile goal
of engagement.”
- Michael Sahota

18. Agile Failure
Average: 2.8 out of 5
(250 People)
Agile Tour Toronto 2011 Agile New England 2011

19. It’s Not Working for People
Copyright VersionOne 2013

21. Weaponizing Agile: The Whip

22. Weaponizing Agile: The Shield
http://agilitrix.com/2014/06/stop-using-agile-as-a-whip-and-shield/

23. Agile Mindset
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tza/3214197147
Doing
Agile
Being
Agile
Agile Practices
VALUE
PEOPLE

24. ~20%

25. Benefit ~3X

26. Benefit
•Ability

27. to

28. manage

29. changing

30. priorities

31.
•Improved

32. Visibility

33.
•Increased

34. Productivity

35.
•Improved

36. Quality

37.
•Reduced

38. Risk
•Customer

39. Delight

40.
•Joy

41. at

42. work

43.
•Engagement

44.
•Innovation,

45. Creativity

46.
•Continuous

47. Learning
Culture is Key

48. Where is Your Focus?

49. Stop
Agile
Initiatives
http://agilitrix.com/2014/09/stop-agile-initiatives/

50. Start Valuing People

51. Value People
@MichaelSahota

52. People
Process

53. People
Process

54. People

55. We Value
People.

56. http://wholeheartedmanifesto.org/

57. Sounds nice.
But does this work in the
real world?

58. Semco: 20% annual growth
for the last 3 decades.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USC1RE8jE50

59. “The purpose of work is not
to make money.”
- Ricardo Semler

60. “The purpose of work is to make
the workers, whether working
stiffs or top executives,
feel good about life.”
- Ricardo Semler

61. Can we measure this?

62. TIP: Use 12 Scientifically Proven
Questions to Measure Engagement

63. Q: At work, do my opinions
seem to count?

64. Q: Does my supervisor, or
someone at work, seem to
care about me as a person?

65. How may we experience
disengagement?

66. TRUST NO ONE
Org Debt
FEAR
ALONE

67. How do we value people to
get engagement?

68. SAFETY

69. TRUST

70. Authentic Connection

71. Vulnerability

72. “When we see vulnerability in
others we call it courage, but
when we see it in ourselves
we call it weakness.”
- Brene Brown

73. Brene
Brown

74. VAST Model

75. How do I feel about someone?
Low Health Check High
How do I feel?

76. How do I feel at work?
TRUST NO ONE
1 10
FEAR

77. Value All The People

78. To fully Value
People …
you need to
change
Your
Organizational
System

79. Michael’s Journey
@MichaelSahota

81. 2001

82. 2010

83. “You can only be kind to
others to the extent you can
be kind to yourself.”
- Brene Brown

84. GROWTH

85. Love Myself

86. Meditation

87. 2014

88. “Inviting people to personal
transformation is key to the
transformation of the whole
organisation.”
- Olaf Lewitz

90. Change Success Patterns
(By Valuing People)
@MichaelSahota

92. Why Do We Want Agile?
Why: A Quality Product
Why: Collaboration
Workshop: http://agilitrix.com/2014/06/agile-is-not-the-goal-workshop/

93. David Hussman

94. COMPASSION
Thich Nhat Hanh

95. TRUST NO ONE
Org Debt
FEAR
ALONE

96. VAST Model

98. Voice of the System

99. Leaders
go First

100. Freedom to Choose

101. Let Go of Outcome

102. Let Go of
Agile
http://agilitrix.com/2014/09/letting-go-of-agile-culture/

103. Organic Spread of Ideas

104. Let’s Travel Together

105. @MichaelSahota
Closing

106. Do you….
Feel stuck in an Agile
Transformation?
Dream of a better place for your
people to work?
Want to love what you do?

107. If you want …
The Expert in
Agile Culture
to
Help You Grow Your
Organization
Call me.

108. “We thought we were hiring Michael to teach our staff how to 'do agile' but he
taught us so much more than that.
We started with an intense but stunningly effective Temenos session for the
management team that was crucial to building the trust and connection we
needed to truly function as a team.
He facilitated a series of organizational development workshops that helped us
understand and build towards a cultural and organizational context where
agility can thrive and be sustained.
Using a dynamic and highly engaging 'teach by modeling' style throughout,
Michael helped us examine our team's values, mission and ambitions, adjust
our structure and move us towards an empowered model of decision-making.
When we finally rolled out Scrum and Kanban training, we were well positioned
to support successful adoption.
Michael is a master facilitator who applied expertise, experience, compassion
and courage to navigate complex problems with us and put us on the
path to transformation.”
- Soo Kim, Senior Director, Digital Operations, CBC

109. More About Michael
~20 years IT
13 years Agile
STRATEGIC
PLAY®
! !

110. Contact Michael
Michael
Sahota
Phone:
416.999.3297
Email:
michael.sahota@agilitrix.com
Sign
up
for
my
newsle*er
at:
h*p://agilitrix.com