Why Lean-Agile Leaders?
An organization’s managers, executives, and other leaders are responsible for the adoption, success, and ongoing improvement of Lean-Agile development and the competencies that lead to business agility. Only they have the authority to change and continuously improve the systems that govern how work is performed. Moreover, only these leaders can create an environment that encourages high-performing Agile teams to flourish and produce value. Leaders, therefore, must internalize and model leaner ways of thinking and operating so that team members will learn from their example, coaching, and encouragement.
Becoming a Lean enterprise is neither simple nor easy. As described below, business agility requires a new approach to leadership. It starts with leaders exemplifying behaviors that will inspire and motivate the organization to pursue a better way of working. They set the example by coaching, empowering, and engaging individuals and teams to reach their highest potential through Lean and Agile principles and practices.
In short, knowledge alone won’t be enough. Lean-Agile leaders must do more than simply support the transformation: they must actively lead the change, participating in and guiding the activities necessary to understand and continuously optimize the flow of value through the enterprise.
Lean-Agile leaders:
Organize and reorganize around value
Identify queues and excess Work in Process (WIP)
Continually focus on eliminating waste and delays
Eliminate demotivating policies and procedures
Inspire and motivate others Create a culture of relentless improvement
Provide the space for teams to innovate
By helping leaders develop along three distinct dimensions as illustrated in Figure 1, organizations can establish lean-agile leadership as a core competency: Figure 1. The dimensions of lean-agile leadership These dimensions are: Leading by Example – Leaders gain earned authority by modeling the desired behaviors for others to follow, inspiring them to incorporate the leader’s example into their own personal development journey. Mindset and Principles – By embedding the Lean-Agile way of working in their beliefs, decisions, responses, and actions, leaders model the expected norm throughout the organization. Leading Change – Leaders lead (rather than simply support) the transformation by creating the environment, preparing the people, and providing the necessary resources to realize the desired outcomes. The sections that follow explore each of these dimensions of lean-agile leadership in greater detail.
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