Checklist and Agile – can they even go together? Yes, you are absolutely correct – check lists are usually attributes of the classical PMP project management vocabulary. However, the majority of the industry leaders we work with spent the most of their professional lives in the world of PMP and six-sigma. When it comes to a transformation, we cannot expect them to go from 0 to 100 in a moment. We, agilists, have to be creative to meet them half way. And the language of check lists is something they are accustom to. So, let’s use them to wrap the coaching language.

I recently had an opportunity to spend time with the leaders of the large financial institute. We were discussing all the good stuff like Agile Manifesto, Cynefin sense making model, culture of experimentation, psychological safety concept, and servant leadership – everything that an agile leader should have in her toolkit. They got completely on board with the idea. The problem they had was how to get from the current hierarchal command and control mentality to this new wonderful world of servant leaderships and empowerment that we call agility. They were asking for help.

It was very tempting to step into consulting role and give them a bunch of cookie cutter step by step instructions. The problem with that approach was that they would not be attached to the new way of thinking and old habits will, most likely, kick in if a critical milestone approaches or any other source of stress arises on the horizon. Old habits die hard. The goal was to invite self reflection, to let each leader discover their own path to agility, something that she would own and take close to her heart. And this was how the idea of the Agile Leadership Check list came to my mind.

I’ve looked around and found a bunch of check lists for Scrum Masters. For example, Jeff McKenna, Adam Weisbard, and CollabNet have all posted some form of checklist. I was not able to find anything for agile leaders. So let us have one. After thinking on it for a while, this is a set of questions for a leader to ask herself to see if she is a true Agile leader:

• When was the last time I said “I failed” in front of my team?
• When was the last time somebody at my team challenged me or said “No”?
• When was the last time I awarded somebody on my team for stepping in and making a decision?
• Does my team have a clear understanding of their purpose and what their success looks like?
• When was the last time my team celebrated our success?
• On a level from 1 to 10 how important is it to me to know what my team members feels about my leadership?
• Do I “drive” or “influence”?
• How often do I ask the question “what is the value of doing this”?
• Am I telling my team members how they should be doing their job and when they are supposed to finish it?
• When was the last time anybody on my team went to a conference or took a job related class of their choice?
• What will happen if I am away for a couple of weeks?
• What old habit have I given up?
• What % of the time is my team NOT operating in a reacting mode?

If you are a leader and answering all these questions make you think how to become a better Agile leader, I would consider my mission been accomplished.

Reference materials:

1. Agile manifesto – https://agilemanifesto.org/
2. Cynefin sense making framework – https://hbr.org/2007/11/a-leaders-framework-for-decision-making
3. Psychological safety – https://www.range.co/blog/introduction-to-psychological-safety
4. Servant Leadership – https://jonathansandling.com/ten-principles-servant-leadership/