Navigating Change in Agile: Trends and Challenges

BONUS: The Future of Agility, Insights from Industry Research with Simon Powers

Is Agile really dead? What does this wide research from industry reveal? 

In this detailed, and insightful episode, we explore the current state and future of agility with Simon Powers, founder of The Deeper Change Academy. Simon shares insights from his comprehensive survey conducted between October and December 2024, which included 311 survey responses, 15 case studies, and 8 in-depth interviews with senior leaders.

The Current State of Agility

The research reveals that while there's been a decline in traditional agile roles and certifications since October 2023, approximately 70% of organizations continue to invest in agile practices and transformations. However, these initiatives are often being rebranded and restructured, moving away from traditional "agile transformation" terminology.

"Organizations are still embracing agility and moving forward with change, but what they're doing is that the names they're using are changing. People aren't necessarily being employed as agile coaches, but the agile coaching responsibilities are still required within organizations."

Leadership Development and Organizational Structure

A critical finding shows that leadership development in many organizations has stalled, creating two distinct organizational patterns:

1. Organizations focused primarily on operational efficiencies, resulting in decreased agility

2. Companies that have embraced coaching as a management tool and invested in leadership development

"The culture is very different depending on where you sit. When you're constantly competing against a head count of a developer versus that of a coach, you're less able to take the necessary risks, talk to the right people, do bolder experiments, and have more of an effect within the organization."

The Impact of Funding Models

The research identified that the funding model for agile initiatives significantly impacts their success. Centrally funded transformation efforts tend to be more successful than those funded through departmental headcount, as they provide greater authority and ability to drive change across the organization.

"Where people are hired or paid for within the head count, the overwhelming majority - like 90% of people who are in that position - are reporting that they do not have the authority to actually carry out the roles that they have responsibility for."

Collaboration and Remote Work

The survey revealed interesting insights about optimal collaboration patterns in the post-pandemic era:

• The sweet spot for office presence appears to be 2-3 days per week

• Full remote work can significantly reduce collaboration effectiveness

• Physical presence remains important for developing leadership skills and team dynamics

"Being at home 100% of the time is a big reduction of collaboration and working on things and growing these skill sets that are needed in leadership as well as within the teams."

Future Trends and Challenges

Looking ahead, the research highlights several key areas that will shape the future of agility:

1. Team structures remain a critical factor in software delivery capability

2. The need for better strategy tools at senior leadership levels

3. The importance of breaking down silos in software development

4. The continued evolution of agile practices to meet increasing complexity

"Organizations are going to need to sort out these problems that we've been slowly solving through agility for the last 20 years. We're just going to be continuing on, but what flavor? I don't know."

About Simon Powers

Simon Powers is the founder of The Deeper Change Academy and author of "Change: A Practitioner's Guide to Enterprise Coaching." With over 20 years of leadership experience, Simon empowers HR leaders and department heads to create thriving, human-centered workplace cultures through tailored coaching, strategic advisory, and transformational programs.

You can link with Simon Powers on LinkedIn.