Download pdf - Overview – Integral Agile Transformation Framework™ · We describe the Integral Agile Transformation Framework™ (IATF) as a ‘meta-framework’ because it is not really in

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Overview–IntegralAgileTransformationFramework™TheroadtoorganizationalagilityusinganAgiletransformationislitteredwithpunditsandadstellingyoutogothiswayorthat,usethistoolnotthat,believethisphilosophyratherthanothers.Somanychoices!Allhavewisdom,andlimitations.Howcanyousortthisallout?Areanyofthemtheanswer?Whichoneisbest...foryou?

TheIntegralModel–developedbyKenWilberandthousandsofworldwidepractitioners,andappliednowinthefieldofAgiletransformationsbyTrans4mation,mayhelp.

WedescribetheIntegralAgileTransformationFramework™(IATF)asa‘meta-framework’becauseitisnotreallyin“competition”withotherframeworksortools–likeScrum,SAFe,LeSS,VersionOneorCynefin.Rather,itprovideswhatwemightcallanaddressingsystemforsuchframeworks,approaches,modelsandtechniques.Significantly,itcreatesfourfundamentaldistinctionsbetweendifferenttypesofapproachandtheir‘come-from’bias–beitinternalorexternal(leftandrightofcircle),andindividualorcollective(topandbottom).Thesedistinctionsarethefourquadrants,andarelabeledI,WE,IT,andITS,correspondingtowhethertheytakea1st,2ndor3rdpersonperspectiveontheworld.

Theothermajoraspectoftheframeworkishowevolutionproceedsineachofthefourquadrants,regardingreal-worldsituationsandanycorresponding‘methodologies’usedtoworkwiththosesituations.Inintegral,wecallthesedistinctionsaltitudes,andtheymovefromlesscomplex(inside)tomorecomplex,andlabeledwithsemi-arbitrarycolors,fromAmber(inside)toOrangetoGreentoTeal.

TheIATFwasdevelopedasanapplicationofthegenericIntegralmodelbyMichaelSpaydandcolleaguesattheAgileCoachingInstitute,andmorerecentlyincollaborationwithMicheleMadoreatTrans4mation,aconsultancydesignedtohelpleadersnavigateorganizationaltransformations.Thelatestrepresentationoftheframework,updatedatTrans4mation,isshownbelow:

Thefourquadrants–appliedspecificallytoAgileorganizationaltransformations–arecharacterizedasfollows:


• Leadership&Mindset–Anorganizationaltransformationcanonlybeled,notdelegated.Leadershipisnotsimplyamatterofchoosingstrategyordecidingonmetrics,itisasupremelyhumanactivity,highlyreliantonemotionalintelligence,caringforpeople,havingavision,andactingwithintegrity.TheIquadrantfocusisbeliefs,values,andintentions.

• Practices&Behavior–ImplementingAgileistypicallydonethroughenactingcertainpracticestocreateproductsinahighlycollaborativeandcustomer-centricmanner,thatelevatesvaluecreationoverschedulecompliance.Relevantpracticesrangefromthoseforproductinnovation,tofacilitatingcollaboration,tooperatingasateam.TheITquadrantfocusisskills,competencies,andperformance.

• OrganizationalCulture&Relationships–Culturehasbeendescribedas‘thewaywegetthingsdonearoundhereinordertosucceed;’orbyanalogy:whatpersonalityistoanindividual,cultureistoanorganization.Cultureissortofthesumtotalofhowwethinkaboutandactupontheworld,together,asanorganizationalentity.Culturehassystemicandemergentproperties,andactsasakindof‘forcefield’ontheactionsandthinkingofindividualagentsinthesystem.Inadditiontoculture,wealsofocusonthenatureofrelationshipswithinthesystem,fromdyadsuptoteamstodepartmentstothewholeorganization,sincerelationshipsarehowthingsgetdoneinorganizations.TheWEquadrantfocusismentalmodels,sharedvalues,andcommonvision.

• OrganizationalArchitecture–Byorganizationalarchitecturewemeanthecombinationofthingsthathavetangiblepresence,likebusinessandreportingstructures,orgcharts,policies,systemsofallkinds(fromITtoperformancemanagementtostaffingandrecruiting),governance,legalentities,etc.Orgarchitecturedeterminesworkflowandtheabilityofproducts(andvalue)toflowfromteamstocustomers.TheITSquadrantfocusissystems,structures,andvalueflow.

Thealtitudeswithineachquadrantrevealhowdevelopmenthappensinthatareaoforganizationallife,fromlesscomplex(Amber)tomorecomplex(Teal).Tobeprecise,intheIATFwearechoosingcertainrelevantdevelopmentallinestotrackasimportanttocharacterizingthewholequadrantforthesakeoforganizationaltransformation.EvolutionwithineachquadrantisIllustratedbelow:

Leadership&Mindset–ThedevelopmentallineintheIquadrantisanamalgammostcloselyrepresentedbyRobertKegan’sOrdersofConsciousness,ortherelatedterm,meaningmaking,howwemakesenseoftheworld.Kegan’sresearchshowspeopledevelopingfromSocializedMindtoSelf-authoringtoIntegral.Basically,apersoncenteredinsocializedmindisdefinedbythevaluesandperspectivesoftheirsocialgroup;apersonwithself-authoringmindhastheirownphilosophyoflifeandmakesdecisionsfromtheirowninternalprinciples;Integralmindrealizesanysystemofthoughtislimited,includingitsown,openingthemtotheir‘shadow’andother’sperspectivesinanew,morematureway.

ThelabelsusedintheIATFarethoseofTheLeadershipCircle,Reactive(socialized),Creative(self-authoring),andIntegral(self-transforming).TheReactiveisnegativelycorrelatedwithleadershipeffectiveness(-.61),whereastheCreativeisstronglypositivelycorrelatedwithleadershipeffectiveness(.93).MostleadersarefirmlyintheReactive(Amber-Orange),ormovingfromtheReactivetotheCreative(OrangetoearlyGreen).AgilepracticesandmindsetsarefirmlyintheGreen-Tealrange,sothereisamismatchbetweenimplementinganAgileprocessandmostleader’sabilitytofullysupportsuchpractices.

Practices&Behavior–ThelinerepresentedintheITquadrantismostassociatedwiththecomplexityofproductinnovationpracticesandthinking.HeretheworkofDesignUnitedandtheirAdvancedDesign


Methodsprovidesguidance.Process-centricinnovation(Amber)impliesa‘push’processwheretheexpertiseoftheproductdesigneroverridestheneedsorwantsofthecustomer/user.Goal-centric(Orange)impliesaninnovationprocessthatfocusesonrevenueandmarketsharegoals,andsomeconsiderationofcustomerneedstotheextentitenhancesbuyingbehaviors.Customer-centric(earlyGreen)isnowmorefullyAgile,wheretheproductdevelopmentprocesshasthecustomerinthemiddleofthings(ProductOwner,LeanStartup,etc.);atthehigh-end,thiscanincludegoodcollaborationwiththeproductteam,butdecisionsarestillmadebythecustomer.Organization-centric(lateGreen/earlyTeal)explicitlyincludesallvoicesinthesystemaspartoftheinnovationprocess,withtheorganization’sbrandbeingtheguidingprincipleforproductdecisions:isthisproductconsistentwithourvalues,ourpurpose,andtherelationshipwewanttohavewithourcustomers?Itnaturallyincludesthecustomer’svoicebeingfullypresent,butnotnecessarilythefinaldecider.Thelastlevelshownissociety-centric(Teal),whereproductinnovationisdoneforthegoodofallstakeholders(win-win-win),includingthesocietalcontext(e.g.,theso-calledtriplebottomline:people,planetandprofits).

Boundary-spanningpractices(andboundaryspanningleadership)–asarticulatedbytheCenterforCreativeLeadership–aretypicallyneededforreachingthehigherlevelsofproductinnovation(organization-andsociety-centric).Ofnote,LeanStartup,ascommonlypracticed,isprimarilyacustomer-centricmindset,butcouldbeextendedtoorganization-centricwithashiftinfocus.

OrganizationalCulture&Relationships–ThedevelopmentalfocusintheWEquadrantcouldbetermed‘culturalcomplexity’,especiallyasseenintheprevalentvaluememesateachaltitude,asoriginallyarticulatedbyClareGraves.WeuseFredericLaloux’labelsfromReinventingOrganizations,sincethatresearchsolelyconcernedorganizations1.

Traditional-Amberrepresentsapre-modernworldviewofabsolutetruth,dogmaticbeliefs,andaninviolablehierarchy;itisalsothecultureofhonor,obedience,andserviceinthenameofduty(thoughnottrulyservant-leadership).Amberisprocess-focused(“there’sarightwaytodothings”),seeksorder,controlandpredictability;followsthechainofcommandandhasformaljobtitles.Itbelievesworkersneeddirection,soplanninghappensatthetop,executionatthebottom.Amberstronglyidentifieswiththeirrole,andvaluessocialbelongingoverself-expression.Amberisexpressedinmostmilitaryforces,manygovernmentbureaucracies,theCatholicchurch,andany‘fundamentalist’organization.

Achievement-Orangelikesthescientificmethod,effectivenessandefficiency.Inthisview,theorganizationisamachineandmanagementislikeengineering.Achievement-Orangeinventedinnovation,accountabilityandmeritocracy;ittrustsrationalityandissuspiciousofemotions.Managementexercisescontrolbysettinggoals,relinquishingsomecontroloverhowthingsaredone.Yearlybudgeting,KPIs,balancedscorecards,performanceappraisals,bonusesandstockoptionsareallOrangeinnovations.Itmustvalueindividualfreedomtohavetheabilitytopursueone’sowngoals.

PluralisticGreenprefersbottoms-upprocesses,strivesforconsensus,andtakesaservantleadershipapproach;itthereforemayhaveahardtimegettingstartedorpastdeadlocksduetowantingtohearfromeveryone.Itvaluescorporatesocialresponsibilityandstakeholders,includingemployees,customers,suppliers;theorganizationalmetaphorisofafamily.Thisthinkingcreated360-feedback,visionstatements,values-drivencultures,workerempowerment,leadersasteachers,aswellashelpedleadtothebirthofAgile.

1ThecolorsusedintheIATFarethosedefinedbytheIntegralcommunity,adaptedlooselyfromSpiralDynamics,tobemoreneutralandapplyacrossallfourquadrants.InIntegral,Amber=BlueandTeal=YellowinSpiralDynamics.


Evolutionary-Teal–Asthefirstinstanceofso-calledsecond-tieraltitudes,Tealseesthevalidityofalltheotheraltitudes.BeingatanIntegrallevelofleadership,wearenowabletodis-identifywithourego,andgetin-touchwithadeeperpartofourselves;thelocusofevaluationoftheselfshiftsfrom‘outersuccess’toaninternalsatisfactionwhenweactfromour‘calling.’Tealorganizationalpracticesincludeself-organization,noorminimaljobtitles,peerappraisals,minimalneedforhierarchiesorconsensusperse,ratherlettingindividualagentsbeautonomousandaccountable;makingdecisionsusingtheadviceprocess(consultingaffectedstakeholdersbutarenotbeingconstrainedtogetagreement).Tealisfocusedonpurposeandmissionfulfillment.ThereisevidencethatTealhasgreatereffectiveness,bothforleadersforteamsandfororganizescenteredculturallyatthislevel.Themetaphorshiftstobeingalivingsystemororganism.TealiscentraltomuchofAgilethinking.

OrganizationalArchitecture–ThelinetrackedintheITSquadrantmightbetermedstructuraladaptabilityorstructuralcomplexity.Thepre-modernarchitecture(Amber)isrigid,typicallyastricthierarchyanddoesnotadapttochangingconditionsnorpromotevalueflow.Themodernarchitecture(Orange)isdesignedtocombinethe(functional)hierarchyofpre-modernwithaprojectorientedstructure,hencethematrixorganization.Amodernarchitectureissomewhatresistivetochange,sinceittendstochangethepowerstructureandisnotideallysuitedtosupportflow,thoughbetterthanpre-modern.Thepost-modernarchitecturetendsmoretowardaflatorgstructureandalesseningofworkerrestrictingpolicies,butaheighteningofdiversity-orientedones.Itismoreadaptiveandorientedtowardsflow,asthelogicalunitoforganizationisaroundprocessesoractivitiesthatservethecustomer.Meta-modern(alsoknownaspost-post-modern)isanattempttotranscendthelimitationsofbothmodernandpost-modernforms;itisinformedbysystemicthinking,isquitefluid,andcanbeadaptedtochangingcircumstancesandbusinessconditions.Somestructuralformsarethenetwork,lattice,meshworks,andadhoc.Optimizingflowisaprimaryconcerninameta-modernstructure.