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09/06/2023 14:27 Agile is a mindset. Agile is behaviour. - Zen Ex Machina
Ahmed Sidkey’s agile mindset image is one I remember fondly when I was presenting at the Agile
Alliance conference 2014 in Florida USA. Sidkey depicted a continuum from values to principles and
practices.
https://zenexmachina.com/agile-as-a-mindset-agile-as-behaviour/ 2/11
09/06/2023 14:27 Agile is a mindset. Agile is behaviour. - Zen Ex Machina
After seeing it again a few years later when I was presenting at the Agile NZ 2016 conference, and
I’ve recently talked with some people across a large program who are now focussing on being agile.
I think it’s amazing that they are considering what it means to be truly agile so early in their agile
evolution, rather than turning agile frameworks into yet another mindless, follow the proverbial
bouncing ball, process and methodology. This form of doing agile, turning it into yet another
An Agile mindset is the combinations of actions and behaviours that result in an agile culture.
Encompasses values, principles, and a disciplined focused approach to using the agile framework
as part of contemporary way of working. It is a shift from linear plan driven ways of working towards
This mindset is the environment within which agile teams flourish. It isn’t a prerequisite for an agile
adoption, nor is it required for a functional agile team. But if this mindset is cultivated and nourished,
the teams (and therefore the company) will experience amazing results – happy employees
delivering great value and making customers elated with the results.
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But as I dug deeper into what people were doing when they said they were being agile, I’ve found
https://zenexmachina.com/agile-as-a-mindset-agile-as-behaviour/ 3/11
09/06/2023 14:27 Agile is a mindset. Agile is behaviour. - Zen Ex Machina
Scrum is too hard, so we’ll just say “we’re being agile” and everything will be ok.
We’ll reinforce we’re being pragmatic about its use and we “take what works”, even though we
Being agile is somehow superior to doing agile, so I’m better than you.
Agile has too many meetings, so I’ll just say we’re “being agile” and that will excuse us from
Ultimately, most often, what was being heralded as an Agile Mindset was really an excuse not to
change the way they worked. They labelled things as “agile” without actually exhibiting any of the
expected behaviours.
The strange push of this Agile Mindset phenomenon seemed to fast becoming the Descartes of
Perhaps it was just positive thinking. Maybe if they thought they were agile then they would be agile.
“The problem with positive thinking is when it disconnects you from reality. If you have achieved
your goals in your mind’s eye, studies show you are less likely to consider the concrete actions
In behavioural psychology, we see values, motivations, and intent manifest as action. When these
two conflict, we see cognitive dissonance and subsequent action to remove it be changing our
https://zenexmachina.com/agile-as-a-mindset-agile-as-behaviour/ 4/11
09/06/2023 14:27 Agile is a mindset. Agile is behaviour. - Zen Ex Machina
minds about an issue or changing our behaviour so the two are in alignment. So, if someone claims
to have an agile mindset, and proclaims they are being agile, what sort of behaviours should we
expect?
Teams exhibiting Lean thinking of respect for people and removing waste.
Scrum’s values of trust, transparency, inspection, adaption and empiricism in people using
Agile mindset is nothing without behaviour. To have an agile mindset means living the values
https://zenexmachina.com/agile-as-a-mindset-agile-as-behaviour/ 5/11
09/06/2023 14:27 Agile is a mindset. Agile is behaviour. - Zen Ex Machina
Related Posts
Understanding the value stream’s attributes and how the enterprise serves its customers,
allows us to look at ways to optimise the operational value stream. This is why measuring
flow metrics such as Ability to Innovate and Time to Market based on mapping the value
stream are key.
READ MORE
https://zenexmachina.com/agile-as-a-mindset-agile-as-behaviour/ 6/11
09/06/2023 14:27 Agile is a mindset. Agile is behaviour. - Zen Ex Machina
What are flow and value metrics and why should you make the change from project
management metrics ?
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https://zenexmachina.com/agile-as-a-mindset-agile-as-behaviour/ 7/11
09/06/2023 14:27 Agile is a mindset. Agile is behaviour. - Zen Ex Machina
When building Agile OKRs I start with the strategy and then ask if the attribute we are
measuring, increased or decreased, and by what percentage? This is why flow metrics
around ability to innovate and get to market as well as customer outcomes are where I
start to build my Agile OKRs.
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Facilitators can use many techniques, but this does guarantee that the outcome will be
reached. Ultimately linking the facilitation pattern to the objective of the interaction, makes
the event more effective and helps contribute to team success in achieving their goals.
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https://zenexmachina.com/agile-as-a-mindset-agile-as-behaviour/ 8/11
09/06/2023 14:27 Agile is a mindset. Agile is behaviour. - Zen Ex Machina
An effective Product Owner is a strategic agile product manager that ties the Product Vision
into the daily work by having a product management entrepreneurial mindset.
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https://zenexmachina.com/agile-as-a-mindset-agile-as-behaviour/ 9/11
09/06/2023 14:27 Agile is a mindset. Agile is behaviour. - Zen Ex Machina
People complain that agile has too many meetings. To be effective, agile events need to be
focused, productive, collaborative with a clear purpose
READ MORE
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