Why did your latest agile/cloud/DevOps/big data/digital/crypto/AIML transformation stall or fail? Along with the massive layoffs impacting big tech generally, it seems we all know someone whose agile coaching role has been impacted or outright eliminated. Famously, Capital One had an agile transformation effort said to have been going on for more than TWENTY YEARS — and completely abandoned it. What drew you to agile? Was it pride in successful delivery with high quality? The thrill of innovation and experimentation? A passion for people — respecting them through servant leadership, self-organization, and sustainable pace? If you’re feeling a disconnect between your employer’s priorities and your agile values, you’re not alone. In this session, we’ll talk about the business benefits of agile and how some conventional wisdom leads us down wrong and frustrating paths. We DON’T need to wait for the mythical executive sponsor who isn’t coming and can’t help anyway. Sometimes we’re all we’ve got — let’s work together to be all we need.

1. We just need
executive support
and other lies of transformation
“
”

2. Welcome! This was an
experimental talk, which is why
these slides are pretty ugly. 😁
It was well-received, so I hope to
refine the presentation in future!

3. Cheryl M Hammond
she/her/y’all
20+ years in software development,
executive leadership, and organizational
transformation
Passionate about agile, lean, and making
software delivery humane; not afraid to
look silly doing it
Fourth-generation Seattleite
Education counselor 🎓 bolonka lover 🐾
traveler 🧭 genealogist 🌳 baseball fan ⚾
slideshare.net/bsktcase

4. Lies
of transformation
“
”

6. Executives have authority

7. Executives will stick around to see
our transformation through

8. Executives’ incentives are the same
as our division’s and team’s

9. Reference
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.
com/books/140051/supercapitalism
-by-robert-reich/

10. Executives
People make decisions
rationally

11. Every company is
a software company
https://web.archive.org/web/20230108220056/https://www.forbes.com/sites/techonomy/2011/11/30/now-every-company-is-a-software-company/

12. Turnover costs more
than retaining top talent

13. My team’s work is essential
to the success of our company

14. Executives can change
our company’s culture

15. Executives can change
our company’s culture
for the better

16. Our company needs to be agile

17. We need executive support

18. Whys
of transformation
?
¿

19. Why does your company exist?

20. Reference
https://www.tablegroup.com/product/the-advantage/ pp. 82-90

21. Agile for “them”
Risk management

22. What kind of risk?
● Product-market fit / customer happiness
● New competitor
● Technical debt / product fitness / security & compliance
● Talent retention

23. Agile for “you”
Sustainable pace
Self-organization

24. Cheryl M Hammond
virtually agile Meetup 2023
Thank you!