TL; DR: Psychological Safety as a Competitive Edge
Psychological safety isn’t about fluffy “niceness”—it is the foundation of agile teams that innovate, adapt, and deliver.
When teams fearlessly debate ideas, admit mistakes, challenge norms, and find ways to make progress, they can outperform most competitors. Yet, many organizations knowingly or unknowingly sabotage psychological safety—a short-sighted and dangerous attitude in a time when knowledge is no longer the moat it used to be. Read on to learn how to keep your competitive edge.
TL; DR: Why Too Much Transparency Can Have a Detrimental Effect
While transparency is often touted as essential in Agile, too much can have negative consequences. Oversharing can lead to micromanagement, misinterpretation, and loss of trust within the team. Examples include excessive scrutiny during Daily Scrums, misreading progress metrics, and creating a blame culture that erodes psychological safety.
Strategic opacity may sometimes be necessary to protect the team’s autonomy and maintain a healthy dynamic. Be transparent, but not at the expense of the team’s independence and well-being.
Agile teams thrive on continuous improvement and adaptability. Self-assessment isn’t just a health check measuring tool but a compass guiding teams toward their potential. It enables teams to understand their strengths, identify areas of improvement, and delve deeper into work dynamics beyond mere output.
The true essence of self-assessment in Agile is fostering transparency, collaboration, and relentless improvement. It’s not an audit; it’s a mirror reflecting a better version of your Agile team.
This article comprises a few well-known self-assessment tools; use them or have them inspire you to create your own assessment.
by Stefan Wolpers|Agile and ScrumAgile TransitionVideos
TL; DR: The Power and Pains of Autonomy at the ACB21
In this highly engaging talk at the Agile Camp Berlin 2021, Jimmy Janlén addresses the core element of “Agile,” it’s key to speed, innovation, and success: team autonomy. Learn more about its benefits, challenges, fears, and pains and what organizations can do to unleash it.
