Agile Is a Mindset, Not a Method
A way of thinking that values adaptability, collaboration, and continuous learning over rigid adherence to tools or processes.
Agile’s evolution sparks debate, with expansionists pushing for broader adoption while purists fear a loss of its core principles.
The true power of Agile lies in its mindset of adaptability and continuous learning, not rigid adherence to frameworks or tools.
Success with Agile requires fostering psychological safety, team autonomy, and a culture of reflection, collaboration, and discovery.
The Agile community is divided over how to approach its evolving role in modern project management. On one side, expansionists see opportunities to extend Agile’s influence beyond software development. They view integration with traditional frameworks as a chance for growth and broader adoption.
On the other hand, purists worry that this signals a departure from Agile’s founding principles. They fear agile's adaptive and value-driven nature could be lost within rigid structures, potentially diluting its uniqueness.
This tension is underscored by a paradox: the same Agilists who once championed disruption and change now express resistance to institutional evolution. The irony invites reflection on whether Agile holds to its principles or resists growth in new contexts.
The debate reflects more profound questions about Agile’s identity and future. Will it remain a countercultural movement or adapt to become a universally applied philosophy? This moment of reflection challenges us to re-examine Agile’s true essence and what it means to be Agile in a changing world.
Decomposing Agile
Agile is often misunderstood as a set of processes or tools, such as Scrum, Kanban, or SAFe. It is much more than that—it’s a mindset, a way of thinking that focuses on adaptability, collaboration, and continuous learning.
This mindset isn’t tied to any specific framework or technique. Instead, it’s about fostering the right conditions and culture where teams can deliver value effectively and sustainably. Over time, many organisations have become overly focused on implementing specific methods without addressing the underlying mindset. This disconnect is often why Agile “fails.”
Tools Are Not Agile
Methods like Scrum and Kanban provide practical approaches to organising work, but they are not Agile. These frameworks are tools that need to be applied thoughtfully within a supportive environment. Without the right mindset and conditions, even the best methods fall short.
The key is to approach tools and processes flexibly, recognising that their purpose is to support outcomes, not to be followed for their own sake. Teams must adapt and evolve these methods based on their unique needs and challenges.
Common issues arise when organisations focus too much on tools and processes:
Rigid adherence to frameworks: Teams follow prescribed steps without adapting them to their unique context, missing opportunities for innovation.
Misguided metrics: Leaders track productivity metrics, such as velocity or task counts, instead of measuring the actual value delivered to the player.
Top-down control: Teams are directed to “do Agile” but lack the autonomy and trust to work in genuinely Agile ways.
The problem in these cases isn’t Agile itself—it’s a failure to create an environment that supports Agile working methods. Success lies in tailoring tools and frameworks to fit the team and its goals rather than forcing a predefined model.
Building the Right Conditions
Agile succeeds when teams work in an environment that encourages collaboration, flexibility, and learning. To achieve this, organisations need to focus on the foundational conditions that enable success:
Psychological safety: Teams must feel safe to take risks, admit mistakes, and share honest feedback. Without this, genuine collaboration and innovation are impossible.
Transparency and alignment: Teams must see how work flows through the system and how their efforts contribute to larger goals.
Autonomy and empowerment: Teams should be free to make decisions and solve problems within their scope.
Continuous improvement: Reflection and iteration should be built into how teams work, enabling them to learn and adapt.
These conditions also involve a clear understanding of how work progresses. By making workflows visible and identifying areas of waste or delay, teams can focus on improving the flow of value to players. This creates a culture where delivery becomes predictable, and improvements are data-informed.
Importantly, fostering these conditions requires an openness to experimentation and adaptation. No formula will fit every team, and what works today might need to be adjusted tomorrow.
Agile Is Discovery
When people say “Agile doesn’t work,” they often criticise the misuse of methods, not Agile itself. Common complaints like “Agile is incomplete” or “Agile doesn’t fit our organisation” usually stem from treating Agile as a one-size-fits-all framework instead of a mindset.
Agile is not a formula—it’s an approach to discovery. It encourages teams to find what works best for their context, adjust as they learn, and continuously share their findings to improve. It’s about finding better ways of working, not just working harder or faster.
How to Be Agile (Not Just Do Agile)
To indeed be Agile, you need to go beyond tools and processes and focus on the mindset and conditions that allow teams to thrive. Here are some steps to consider:
Foster trust and safety: Ensure teams feel secure enough to take risks, make mistakes, and share ideas openly.
Visualise and optimise workflows: Make work visible, identify bottlenecks, and focus on delivering consistent value.
Empower teams: Provide autonomy and decision-making authority to those closest to the work.
Encourage reflection and adaptation: Build regular opportunities for teams to reflect on their practices and adapt them as needed.
Measure outcomes, not outputs: Focus on player value rather than task completion or arbitrary metrics.
The real power of Agile lies in its flexibility. It’s not about enforcing a set of rules. Instead, it’s about building an environment where teams can grow, adapt, and discover better ways to deliver value. Teams that approach Agile with curiosity and openness often find that their most significant breakthroughs come from tweaking or breaking away from established frameworks.
A Culture of Collaboration
One of Agile's most powerful aspects is its emphasis on collaboration within teams, across organisations, and the broader community. Agile thrives when people share their discoveries and learn from each other, creating a culture of continuous improvement.
Agile isn’t static—it evolves as teams and organisations learn and grow. To unlock its full potential, focus on mindset and culture rather than rigid frameworks.
So, the next time someone says, “Agile doesn’t work,” ask them to look beyond the tools. Are they critiquing the framework, or are they missing the mindset? The answer could transform how they approach their work.
Wow! So many different business settings can benefit from this theory.
Awesome article!