For experienced project management professionals, the transition to Agile can be one of the hardest things to do. I would sometimes explain it to people by saying: “It’s like learning to brush your teeth with the left hand, if you’re right-handed.”
It does not come naturally; it takes time and practice. There are a number of habits to unlearn, like the need to have all things under your control and being the center of coordination.
What I want to share with you today, is how to be successful in Agile, by creating new, small habits. You want to become an Agile Project Leader which is a journey that does not come overnight. What if I told you that you could succeed with small habits?
When you choose to go into a new direction, like following an Agile approach when delivering projects, instead of the traditional, waterfall approach, you can do that by using small habits. Take charge in tiny bit-size chunks. This will make change possible and help you to become that person you desire to be, and you know you could be, namely an Agile Project Leader.
How do you create a small habit successfully?
1. Don’t try to change the world overnight. Start with just one new habit and then go from there. Practice to let go of the need to be in control of everything.
2. Make a commitment. Not every habit is created equal, and some take longer to embed in your mind than others. However, one thing is true. The longer you perform the same activity day after day, the more success you will have in creating that habit.
Take the mindset change for example, to adopt a new culture of Agile values. Start with the 4 Values and 12 Principles of the Agile Manifesto, study each one until you properly understand their meaning and the implications of the impact on the way you work. Decide right now that you are going to give this new habit of living the Agile values and principles at least 4 to 8 weeks to give it a proper start.
3. Link the habit to something that already works. If you have a successful habit already in place, ask yourself what small thing you can attach to that habit. For example, if you are already communicating with your team members daily, to add a daily standup would not be that hard, right?
4. Keep it small. Knowing that most habit formation fails because you are trying to do too much too soon, then make a point to keep the changes very small. That will give you a much higher rate of success than trying to create a great big change. For example, keep asking yourself, what is the least documentation we need to do in order to communicate enough detail for the work to continue.
5. Have a disaster plan in place. Knowing that things are going to go wrong from the start helps you to be ready when they do. If you want to step in and tell people what to do to solve a problem (so that you can stay in control), rather take a step back and ask a few questions that will lead the team to find a solution to a problem themselves.
6. Grab a friend. The only way to keep on track, especially when building habits, is to use your network. Have an accountability partner to keep you honest. This is one of the most important success criteria when adopting new habits.
Do it with friends / colleagues who are on the same journey than you, as well as with Agile coaches. They will give you answers and examples of doing things in diverse ways; different from what you thought would be the right way. Often, there is not only one right way. Be open to possibilities and become more creative in your thinking.
7. Reward yourself. Celebrate every little milestone with a reward, something that makes sense and will encourage you to keep going when motivation becomes low.
I used to belong to what is called “Agile Coaching Circles.” They consisted of a group of people who come together every second week at a time that is convenient for all, to discuss Agile topics of their choice. The knowledge sharing and learning that took place, was hugely rewarding and kept me motivated to come back for more.
8. Redefine yourself. Accept that this is the new you. The habits you are building are going to change who you are and how you do thing. Embrace the new identity. Enjoy the experience of doing things in a new way that will make you a good Agile Project Leader and will help you to be successful in delivering value to customers, just like you have been doing before.
By following these steps, you not only will succeed when applying small habits to your life, but over time you will see amazing growth and development as a person. That is pretty exciting, especially when you consider how little you had to do to get there.
Agile Project Leader Online Training
If you want results, and you want to fast-track your learning about Agile, the Agile Project Leader Online training course is just what you need. It will solve the transition challenge for existing project managers and give you the exact strategies, mindset, process and practices to move the needle on successfully implementing the strategic initiatives following an Agile approach. It provides much guidance on various Agile roles, frameworks and different certifications available to help you select the best one. You will find multiple Guides to download for immediate use.