Demystifying Lean-Agile Leadership: Empowering Change with SAFe

Presentation at the SAFe Summit Washington D.C. on 16 October 2024.

So, you took a Leading SAFe class. You know about the SAFe Core Values and the 10 SAFe Lean-Agile Principles. You have experienced empathy mapping, feature writing, prioritisation and PI Planning. You have even been introduced to Lean Portfolio Management. At the end of the two days, you return to the office to find your inbox overflowing and your calendar blocked with back-to-back meetings. Sound familiar?

Here’s the rub - Success with Scaling Agile begins and ends with leadership. It is imperative that those in management, leadership and executive roles break away from the daily grind and start to play an active role in the transformation. If you are wondering where to start, then this is the session for you! (Even if you haven't yet taken a Leading SAFe class!)

Hold on to your hats as Em shares in her typical ”no holds barred” style her learnings about the role of managers in agile from over 10 years of scaling agile in some of Australia’s largest organisations.

Key Takeaways:
- Leading a SAFe Transformation requires more than attending a two-day Leading SAFe class.
- Specific actions managers, leaders and executives can take to improve the results their organisation receives from SAFe.
- The breadth of your organisation's SAFe transformation will be determined by how actively leaders are engaged in the journey.

Transcript

1. Demystifying Lean-Agile Leadership Empowering Change with SAFe © Scaled Agile, Inc. - 1 -
2. EM CAMPBELL-PRETTY CEO PRETTY AGILE
3. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024
4. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024 Agile Fundamentals
5. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024
6. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024
7. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024
8. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024
9. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024
10. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024
11. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024 Seek First to Understand
12. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024
13. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024 "Learning is not a spectator sport.” - Chickering & Ehrmann https://prettyagile.co/LeadingSAFe
14. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024 “Those who can read and don’t, are only marginally better off than those who can’t.” –Verne Harnish Our Leading SAFe recommended reading list https://bit.ly/SAFeBooks
15. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024 Bring Your Peers on the Learning Journey
16. Purpose Mental Model Context Do we have clarity on the goal and outcomes we are seeking? Do we have a shared understanding of why and how it works? Do we understand how to apply this in our organization?
18. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024
19. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024
20. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024 …divesting control… only works with a competent workforce that understands the organization’s purpose. Hence, as control is divested, both technical competence and organizational clarity need to be strengthened. –David L. Marquet Image Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psAXMqxwol8 Give Control
21. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024 Build Competence Image Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psAXMqxwol8
22. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024
23. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024
24. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024 PI Execution Support
25. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024 Create Clarity Image Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psAXMqxwol8
26. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024
27. Measuring the Business Benefits of SAFe Workshop https://prettyagile.co/Benefits
28. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024
29. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024 …divesting control… only works with a competent workforce that understands the organization’s purpose. Hence, as control is divested, both technical competence and organizational clarity need to be strengthened. –David L. Marquet Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psAXMqxwol8 Give Control Image Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psAXMqxwol8
30. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024
32. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024
33. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024 https://prettyagile.co/UnityHour Create an Environment That Fosters Engagement
34. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024 Be Curious…
35. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024 … and Responsive
36. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024 Provide Active Lean-Agile Governance © Scaled Agile, Inc. - 36 -
37. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024 Invest in Technical Enablers
38. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024 Stay the Course
39. © Pretty Agile Pty Ltd 2024 1. Seek first to understand 2. Bring your peers on the learning journey 3. Build competence 4. Create clarity 5. Then “Give Control” 6. Create an environment that fosters engagement 7. Be curious and responsive 8. Provide active lean-agile governance 9. Invest in technical enablers 10. Stay the course What is the Role of Lean-Agile Leadership?
40. Em Campbell-Pretty CEO & SAFe Fellow linkedin.com/in/ejcampbellpretty/ ecp@prettyagile.com Success with Scaling Agile begins and ends with Leadership. www.prettyagile.com.au