Agile talk for Burns Night on Robert Burns and the Agile Mindset. Was for Scaling Agile and DevOps Scotland group

1. Rebel Robbie Burns and the
Agile Mindset
Scaling Agile and
DevOps Scotland
Scott Seivwright

2. Scott Seivwright
Lean Agile Coach (From UX to Ops)
30 years experience of LEAN
10 years of Agile
@Scottdio – Twitter
Scott@Agilisimo.net
Link in on Linkedin if you want

3. Scott’s previous clients include:

4. Confession:
I suffer from two
debilitating illnesses

8. The Agile Manifesto is Liberation Theology

9. The Agile Manifesto is Liberation Theology
written by the least ever oppressed group

10. The Agile Manifesto is Liberation Theology
written by the least ever oppressed group
of overpaid white males developers.

11. The Agile Manifesto is Liberation Theology
written by the least ever oppressed group
of overpaid white males developers.
In a Ski Lodge

12. They wanted Respect, Freedom,
Brotherhood and to do the right
thing
So did Burns….

13. Burns and the Agile Community are
reactions. Successful reactions
perhaps are based on similar
principals?

14. The Immortal
Memory
of our greatest
poet
(and First
Activist Blogger)

15. Why Lean Agile...Mindset
Agile is not magic fairy dust that makes developers type faster
- (Although some sell it as such: “Twice the work with half the
Time”)
It is really about empowerment, openness and building on
improvement
It is about teamwork, kindness and respect for others
You can’t really do Agile… you must be Agile
It is a state of connectedness with a greater good

16. Why Burns….
Burns is so ingrained to Scottish life that we forget his world impact
and the social and cultural changes he influenced. Burns was a
radical, focused on visualisation, told stories of what was wrong, to
create discussion and culture change.
He struggled against power structures and used his letters, poems
and songs the blogs of his day to highlight inequality.
He was famous for his Simplicity, Honesty, Participation in life and love of
Freedom.
He was an outsider that championed change and led the way to a better
future.

17. Lets begin….
Lean Agile Principals that Burns would have
Toasted!

18. Equality – A Man’s a Man
For a' that, an' a' that,
It's coming yet for a' that,
That Man to Man, the world o'er,
Shall brothers be for a' that.
http://library.sc.edu/spcoll/douglass/scotlitdouglass.html

19. Empathy – To a Mouse
I'm truly sorry man's dominion,
Has broken nature's social union,
An' justifies that ill opinion,
Which makes thee startle
At me, thy poor, earth-born companion,
An' fellow-mortal!
https://medium.com/@jeffsussna/empathy-the-essence-
of-devops-572ed2a7f42b

20. Dress Code – The Ploughman in Edinburgh
In an Edinburgh where everyone is
walking round in silk, powdered wigs and
pumps and garters. Burns provocatively
dressed like a working man – a
ploughman in Boots and plain cloth.
https://medium.com/@jeffsussna/empathy-the-essence-
of-devops-572ed2a7f42b

21. Retrospectives - To a Louse
O wad some Power the giftie gie
us
To see oursels as ithers see us!
It wad frae mony a blunder free us,
An' foolish notion:

22. The Worth of Plans - To a Mouse
But Mousie, thou art no thy lane,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best-laid schemes o' Mice an'
Men
Gang aft agley,

23. Freedom – Scots Wa Ha
Wha for Scotland's king and law
Freedom's sword will strongly
draw,
Freeman stand, or freeman fa',
Let him follow me!

24. We are all leaders– A Mans a
Man
A prince can mak a belted knight,
A marquis, duke, an' a' that;
But an honest man's abon his might,
Gude faith, he maunna fa' that!
For a' that, an' a' that,
Their dignities an' a' that;
The pith o' sense, an' pride o' worth,
Are higher rank than a' that.

25. Meet, Debate and Learn – Tarbolton
Club
The Bachelors' Club was founded
by Robert Burns, David Sillar and
Robert's brother, Gilbert as an
improvement society in the village
of Tarbolton. The club had an
elaborate set of rules. – (Like Lean
Coffee?)

26. Always Learning – Genius Ploughman
Burns was well read, self educated
and a continued consumer of
ideas.. that he spread around the
world.
He took complex ideas and made
them simple and translatable and
we can all identify with his stories.

27. QUIZ : Burns’ Missing Agile
Principle
(Hint : Burns wrote a Song
here)…?

28. Concluding
 Burns and Agilistas have
○ Rebelled against over management and the control that kept the people excluded from power
○ Longed for a time when there no barriers
○ Promote empathy and brotherhood between all
○ Fight against Lords and Hippos and equality of all men
○ Both promote kindness and helping each other
○ Both build community and set up events and meet-ups to promote improvement ideas
○ Both focus on dressing down and being different
○ Only Agile focused of small batch flow!
○ Burns would Keynote any Lean Agile event

29. Debate!!! So…. What do you
think?

30. Toast
To the immortal memory
To Rabbie and
The Scotland’s
Proto Agilest!!

31. Keep it Human and be Kind
Should auld acquaintance be
forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be
forgot,
And auld lang syne!
Chorus.-For auld lang syne, my
dear,
For auld lang syne.
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.
And there's a hand, my trusty fere!
And gie's a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak a right gude-willie
waught,
For auld lang syne.
For auld,
Chorus.-For auld lang syne, my
dear,
For auld lang syne.
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.