Agile Project Management

Mindset and behaviours for

practical outcomes

Annie Sheehan & Emma Bryce June 2012

A journey...

The Ordinary World

Call to Adventure

Refusal of the Call

Meet the mentor

Cross the threshold

Tests, allies and enemies

The approach

The ordeal

The reward

The road back

The resurrection

Return with the elixir

Source: Joseph Campbell “The Hero with a Thousand Faces”

Picture courtesy of totalfilm.com

Background and Context

Rob Thomsett Agile Project Management

It is always about people and behaviours, not systems and tools

Framework rather than rule book

Simple principles applied to behaviour well, and outcomes are achieved.

Agile PM framework: some facts

• Agile Project Management IS NOT Agile SDLC

• Common themes: collaboration, interactions,

responding to change

• A PM framework originated by Rob Thomsett

• A key tool is the success sliders: 7 attributes that

signify success

• Philosophy is “Light touch, right touch”

Focus

• Trust, openness, honesty, courage

• Agile Project Management Success Sliders

• Learning mindset

• Behavioural flexibility: able to adapt behaviour to suit a

certain situation

Trust, openness, honesty, courage

– Assume positive intent – be trusting

– Be an open, honest and courageous communicator

• Stand-ups

• Co-location with team and product owner

– Courage

• Call out behaviour, both positive and negative

• Commitments: celebrate achievements; challenge the errant

slackers!

Where trust, openness, honesty and

courage lead…

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Agile PM Success Sliders *

• A tool to help you focus on what’s really important

Off 25% 50% 75% On

Stakeholders X

Scope X

Budget X

Schedule X

Quality X

Benefits X

Team X

• Enabling robust conversation with your stakeholders and

team

* Copyright: used with the permission of Thomsett International

Learning mindset

• A focus on Emotional Intelligence (EQ) vs. IQ

• A continuous skills development cycle

– BAs can be testers can be scrum masters can be Agile coaches can be PMs

can be product owners can be…

What is this man feeling?

• True empathy: consider the person as well as the task

• What you think doesn’t matter, ask them

Confused?

Surprised?

Upset?

Disappointed with my

hairdresser?

I ate too many burritos?

Behavioural flexibility

• The Law of Requisite Variety, states that in any system,

the element or person in the system with the widest

range of behaviours or variability of choice will

control the system

• Able to adapt behaviour to

suit a certain situation

How: Be the Observer

• Observe with no judgement

• Pause between stimulus and response

• Think of a situation that could have been better:

– How did I respond?

– How would I rather feel?

– Could I have done that in a better way?

– “Re-do” – the unconscious mind is now reprogrammed

for a more resourceful outcome next time

• x 3 for maximum impact on unconscious mind

Overall Benefits

• Greater ownership and sense of accountability

– Conversation vs. sign-offs and hand-offs

• Increased engagement

– From sponsor, business stakeholders, project team and

organisation

• Multi-skilled individuals and adaptive behaviours

– In high demand within companies and in the market place

• Superior project results

– Healthier behaviour, superior outcomes

• Living outside your comfort zone is where learning begins

• Focus of topics covered:

– Trust, openness, honesty, courage

– Agile Project Management Success Sliders

– Learning mindset

– Behavioural flexibility

• Master the obvious, explore the unusual

Concluding remarks

Questions

– www.Forbes.com – “Courageous leaders don’t make excuses – they

apologize”

– www.thomsett.com – “Agile Project Management – A Primer”

– www.hbr.org – “What Makes a Leader?” Daniel Goleman

– “The Hero with a Thousand Faces” Joseph Campbell

Further reading

How to find us

• Find us on Linked In!