Agile Organizations - Daring Greatly, by Jean Tabaka - Rally Software

A Leader's Guide to
Harnessing Complexity
Agile
Business
Bob Gower
& Rally Software

Agile Business: A Leader’s Guide to Harnessing Complexity, By Bob Gower
Agile Organizations—Daring Greatly
By Jean Tabaka
“...there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but
who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great
enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a
worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph
of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at
least fails while daring greatly...”
—Theodore Roosevelt, April 23, 1910
Dr. Brené Brown opens her bestselling book Daring Greatly with this
quote by Theodore Roosevelt. Through it, we see how powerful one
person can be when he or she chooses to “dare greatly.” But what does
this mean for an organization? How does this apply to Agile? And what
can we do now to become organizations that truly dare greatly?
Agile transformations request a lot from us: they ask that we stick
our toe in unfamiliar organizational waters and step outside our
comfort zone. This requires some pretty significant daring on our
part and a lot of organizational vulnerability. But with that daring and
vulnerability come great gifts and the potential to create sustainable
and transformative Agile change that goes beyond mere adoption.
Daring greatly and acting through vulnerability requires courage.
Think about an organization steeped in practices of detailed, longterm
plans. While this planning may seem to provide the organization
with a sense of security and direction, that isn’t always the case. What
does it look like to act courageously in such an environment? How
does it feel to invite change despite our fears?
Instead of holding on to long-term plans, we seek opportunities for
change. We recognize that as we welcome change, we also welcome
growth.
Cultivate a Culture of Vulnerability
“Failure is not an option.” “You better be right.” “I’m trusting you; don’t
screw up.” Does any of this sound familiar? Each of those statements is
a prime example of organizational invulnerability.
Daring greatly requires that we cultivate vulnerability—that we open
up and run toward difficult things—knowing that our work may be
harder and that we may eventually falter.
Copyright Rally Software 2013
www.rallydev.com

Agile Business: A Leader’s Guide to Harnessing Complexity, By Bob Gower
This is hard enough to think about as an individual, let alone from
an organizational point of view. To be vulnerable, a company must
be prepared to take bold risks, even if it means potentially appearing
too exposed. When we let down walls of invulnerability, we show
tremendous courage and create opportunities for continuous learning.
And in these deep breaths of vulnerability, the seeds of an Agile
adoption grow to become true Agile transformation.
Eliminate Shame, Comparison, and Disengagement
Think about how your organization sets goals and what the
ramifications are for not achieving them. Does your organization have
a culture of empathy or shame? Are team members meant to feel
empowered by their learning or ashamed by their failure? If it’s the
former, you’re on the right path in daring greatly to be Agile. If it’s the
latter, your Agile adoption will most likely fail.
Shame is corrosive. Comparison demoralizes. And when employees
experience these things, they disengage. In such a toxic culture,
the organization has ensured that no team will act courageously or
cultivate its own vulnerability. Employees won’t step forward with
an eye toward innovation and growth; they will hold back for fear
of being perceived as failures. Teams will set low standards, adopt
inattention to results, and discourage accountability.
To be truly transformative, our organizations must not only act
courageously and cultivate vulnerability; they must eliminate
shame. Despite historically popular motivational tactics, shame is
diametrically opposed to long-term team resilience and employee
engagement. We eliminate shame within our organizations by
embracing empathy, cultivating compassion, and nurturing
understanding. Successful Agile transformations can only thrive in
organizations that are free from shame. By eliminating shame, teams
turn small failures into fast-learning opportunities.
Daring greatly is both an individual and organizational skill. Such
daring requires courage, vulnerability, and the elimination of shame,
comparison, and disengagement. If you feel your organization is ready
for a healthy Agile transformation, dare greatly and help create a
culture that embodies a spirit of innovation and learning.
Copyright Rally Software 2013
www.rallydev.com

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