AGILITY, A MINDSET BEFORE A METHOD

Agility, often associated with frameworks like Scrum, Kanban, or SAFe, has become essential in the world of project management and product development. However, reducing Agility to just a set of practices or processes would miss its deeper essence. Before being a methodology, Agility is fundamentally a mindset—a work and collaboration philosophy focused on flexibility, responsiveness, and continuous improvement. Adopting an Agile approach isn't merely about following Scrum or Kanban, but rather about rethinking how we work, embracing a new mindset, and focusing on what truly matters: how to become better, more efficient, and faster.

A Response to the Limitations of Traditional Methods

Agility emerged in the early 2000s as a response to the limitations of traditional project management methods, like the Waterfall model, which imposed rigid and linear plans. These approaches assume that all project steps are known in advance, which is often unrealistic in complex or uncertain environments like software development or product innovation.

Agile mindset, on the other hand, is based on the recognition of uncertainty and the willingness to adapt to change. It’s an approach that values experimentation, feedback, and continuous improvement. Instead of viewing change as an obstacle, Agility encourages teams to embrace it, or even seek it out, to enhance the value of the final product or service.

A Matter of Core Values and Principles

Agility is grounded in four core values and twelve principles outlined in the Agile Manifesto, published in 2001. These values and principles define a vision of work where human interactions and flexibility take precedence over rigid processes. The four key values of Agility are:

1. Individuals and interactions over processes and tools: Agility places human relationships at the heart of success. A good tool or efficient process isn’t enough without smooth communication, collaboration, and trust within the team.
2. Working software over comprehensive documentation: Instead of getting bogged down by detailed technical documents, Agility prioritizes the regular delivery of functional products. Documentation exists but doesn’t impede the team’s ability to deliver value.
3. Customer collaboration over contract negotiation: Agility fosters continuous cooperation with the client, focusing on their changing needs rather than rigid contractual terms. This implies involving the client in the process and providing them visibility into project progress.
4. Responding to change over following a plan: In a rapidly changing world, Agility sees plans as adaptable guides rather than rigid frameworks. The team must be ready to change direction if it better serves the end goals.

These values clearly show that Agility is primarily a way of thinking—a mental framework that encourages flexibility, listening, and continuous questioning.

A Culture of Work and Collaboration

Agility also involves a transformation of team culture and even organizational structure. It encourages a spirit of collaboration and transparency where everyone, regardless of role, is involved in the common goal of delivering value.

This mindset requires mutual trust and autonomy within teams. Instead of giving detailed instructions, Agile managers act as facilitators, offering a flexible framework where teams can self-organize, experiment, and learn from their mistakes.

In this sense, Agility aligns with a vision of management that values participative leadership, encouraging every member to actively contribute to solutions and decision-making.

Why Agility Can't Just Be a Method

While many organizations adopt Agile frameworks like Scrum or Kanban, applying these tools without embracing the Agile mindset can lead to limited or even counterproductive results. A team following an Agile process strictly without truly understanding and adhering to Agile values might end up reproducing rigid behaviors. For instance, ceremonies like sprints or retrospectives could lose their meaning if they are seen as procedural obligations rather than opportunities for reflection and improvement.

For a team to become genuinely Agile, it must adopt Agility as a working philosophy. This means thinking in terms of adaptability, proactivity, and resilience, rather than mechanically following practices. It's this mindset that allows teams to truly maximize the added value of Agility.

Cultivating the Agile Mindset Within a Team

To develop this Agile mindset, several key elements are essential:

• Encourage training and continuous learning: Teams should be trained on Agile values and principles and given the means to experiment without fear of failure. The retrospective is a key tool to regularly assess successes and areas for improvement.
• Promote open and transparent communication: In Agile, it’s crucial that everyone can express their opinions and ideas. Trust and respect for diverse viewpoints are essential to ensure decisions are made collectively.
• Embrace and anticipate change: Teams must be ready to revisit their approach, tools, and even priorities. This flexibility requires a "test and learn" mentality where mistakes are seen as opportunities for growth.
• Celebrate small wins and progress: In Agile, every delivery, no matter how small, is an advancement. By celebrating each step, teams are motivated and foster a sense of accomplishment.

A Philosophy for Success in Uncertainty

Ultimately, Agility is a mindset because it doesn’t promise perfect results, but an increased ability to navigate uncertainty and adapt to complex environments. It teaches teams to focus on what matters: creating value for the end customer, continuous improvement, and autonomy. These elements are what enable Agile organizations to succeed in dynamic environments and meet the ever-changing demands of their customers.

Conclusion

Agility is much more than a method; it's a working philosophy, a mindset that places humans, adaptation, and collaboration at the heart of the process. Adopting Agility means accepting that the path to the goal is flexible and uncertain, and that constant adjustments are necessary to adapt to the realities of the moment. But it also means accepting imperfection and continuous questioning. There is no Agility without communication, collaboration, and transparency. Everyone strives to do their best and contribute their expertise to the service of the product. From this standpoint, the success of a project is the responsibility of all, just as its failure is. There’s no place for individualism. Organizations that understand this nuance and nurture an Agile mindset are better equipped to innovate, adapt, and thrive, no matter what changes they face. If you too want to grow your teams and business through Agility, don't hesitate to trust L EVATE to guide you in this transformation.