Agile is a way of working that focuses on delivering value to the customer through iterations, or cycles, of work. But being agile is more than just doing agile; it’s a way of thinking and operating that can help your business be more flexible, adaptable, and responsive to change. Agile is not about just using tools and frameworks. It is about so much more than just being able to react quickly to change.
Difference between Doing Agile & Being Agile
Doing Agile is just having the right processes and tools in place so that you can respond quickly to change. If your organization is using tools like Scrum, Kanban, and XP, you are doing Agile. But just because you are using the right tools doesn’t mean you are being Agile.
Being Agile is more than just a set of tools and processes. It’s also about having the right mindset, which means being open to change and willing to embrace new ideas. It is not just about being fast or efficient. It is also about being adaptable and responsive to change as well as having ethics in place so everyone can work together towards common goals with respect given at every turn. It is about creating a culture of mutual trust and respect. Working together means making things better for everyone involved. Most of all, being agile is about respecting people and valuing their contributions. It’s also important to build relationships based on trust so that we can make things better for everyone involved in the process.
An organization that is Being Agile rather than Doing Agile will have an agile culture, where everyone is encouraged to be flexible, adaptable, and responsive to change.
What is Agile Culture?
An agile culture is one that values people and their contributions are open to change and are willing to embrace new ideas. It is also a culture of mutual respect and trust, where everyone works together towards common goals.
A culture of agility starts with values. At Scrum, we value customer feedback, collaboration, and continual learning. These values shape everything we do, from how we work with our customers to how we develop our products. Then, once you have the right values in place, you need to create a structure that supports them. That means having the right processes and tools in place to enable your team to work together effectively. And
You need to create a culture of continuous improvement. That means constantly reflecting on what’s working well and what could be better, and making changes accordingly. It’s a never-ending process, but it’s one that will help you continually adapt to the ever-changing needs of your business.
Creating a culture of agility is not easy, but it’s essential if you want to be able to respond quickly to change. And it all starts with you. The values of an agile culture pave the way for success. When these values are deeply ingrained in the organization, they result in faster decision-making, increased innovation, and more adaptability to change.
Final Thoughts
Being Agile and doing Agile are two different things. Just because you have the right tools and processes in place, doesn’t mean you’re being agile. It starts with understanding what being Agile means and embracing the principles behind it. And if you’re already doing some of the things that make you agile, keep it up! There’s no need to fix what isn’t broken. Just keep moving forward and always be open to change. To be truly agile, your organization needs to embrace the agile mindset and have a culture of respect and trust. Are you doing Agile?
I hope this article was helpful in understanding the difference between being Agile and just doing Agile.