Consulting Approach

“Business agility is more than just project agility.”

The Agile consulting market for enterprise Agile transformation is still relatively young, and the need has received a tremendous boost, especially with the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic. As in many other areas, experience and knowledge are still thin on the ground at the beginning. Consultants build dream castles of a perfect world of self-determination, self-responsibility and a self-developing organization – everything is great and easy. In theory, yes. In practice, we have to deal with encrusted structures, a completely contradictory corporate culture and above all: people, especially in large companies. People with vested interests, limited skills and fears. People from many different cultures with all their advantages and disadvantages. In reality, all this can only be changed to a limited extent and unfortunately not overnight. There’s no question about it: for many companies, Agile Transformation is age-defying for their ability to survive. But the road is rocky and long. Those who believe in the theoretical dream castles of consultants and training providers are quickly confronted with reality and disappointed. If you don’t want to abandon the Agile Transformation project out of disappointment over unrealistic promises at the first stones along the way, you should be aware of the challenges and have already developed solution strategies. That’s why we don’t start a collaboration naively in the quagmire of small individual problems, but reveal the overarching causes and the associated need for change right from the start. This shortens the journey considerably. We think and live agile: We don’t want to pull consulting, training and project budgets out of your pocket, but rather determine the scope of your readiness for change and related corporate strategies with you as the basis for a successful change process. Because if readiness for change does not exist on a sufficient scale, then all transformation efforts are for nothing – lost resources, lost budgets and predictably failed projects. Change starts from the top, not with agile islands and certainly not in IT. And that’s where BIZAGILITY.DE comes in. BIZAGILITY.DE has been immersed in the practice of agile since 2011 and has experienced challenges, solutions and failures in numerous projects. The real work starts after the consultation and after the training. BIZAGILITY.DE is your experienced solution partner when agility starts to cause pain. We know and see the recurring causes and therefore extend Agile Coaching beyond project agility to business agility. And that’s what ultimately gave us our name: BIZAGILITY.DE

Strategy

“Agile Islands hurt“

Let’s be realistic: Agile Transformation is not a children’s circus. The requirements for personal adaptability are high enough. The older we get, the more experience we have gained and the more solid our character is, the more difficult it is for us humans to adapt to new challenges. As if that were not enough, for Agile Islands there are unsolvable areas of tension between the requirements of an agile organization and planning structures that exist around it. The practical consequence in the agile team is the use of agile terms and the perception of agile events. But the real activity quickly gives way, after initial euphoria, to the real constraints set by surrounding planning organizations, through which Agile Islands are also bound by force. Project conditions dictated by the planning organization and interfaces between the agile organization and the planning organization quickly slow down agile processes and frequently prevent the seamless continuation of work. A forward-looking solution option would be Agile Transformation from the top down. From the portfolio level, down through the solution level and the program level to the team level. And with comparatively little pain and failure. Or the usual start with Agile Islands with corresponding pain, costs and failures. Agile Transformation is a business management task, not an IT task. And that is exactly where the responsibility for the outcome and success lies – with pleasure also with my practice-oriented support.

“Focus on Value Creation” (Lean Agile Leadership)

We do not close our eyes to reality: Agile Transformation has the goal of faster decision-making and work processes and is therefore associated with the elimination of hierarchies. Existing management levels must be integrated into agile team structures as part of a challenging corporate reorganization. Knowledge holders at all levels are expected to share knowledge consistently in competence teams. Redundant decision-making structures are set up instead of previous single decision-makers. And priorities are shifting toward resource and budget conservation as the overriding guiding principle of Lean Agile Leadership.

“Faster Business Processes“

Whoever places solutions on the market faster collects the higher margin of the first mover. Those who react faster to market demands and market changes escape sales dips. And agile competition has become fast and is constantly multiplying. The move away from task specialists to competence teams enables the parallelization of work processes and thus the reduction of throughput times. Real-time KPIs inform all employees at all levels of the company about developments as well as deviations and thus enable a quick reaction for correction and adjustment. Financial and resource budgets are no longer fixed down to the individual cost center, but managed at the portfolio level, allowing reprioritization at any time and load balancing of funds and resources across the enterprise.

Personal

“Nothing is more constant than change” (Charles Darwin 1809-1882)

I am aware that we humans develop abilities and lose other abilities in the course of our lives. For example, experiences constantly increase, while powers constantly decrease. This awareness is the basis for the willingness to actively participate in the constant change that surrounds us and is unstoppable.

“Innate Drive to Optimize“

For as long as I can remember, I have tended to optimize the actions and conditions that surround me – whether in my private or business life. No one has to encourage the will to optimize in me, because this tendency is innate.

“Tolerance is not a One-Way Street“

I have a very liberal and social attitude towards life. “Treat other people the way you want to be treated” is one of my life principles. I spent several years of my childhood growing up abroad in a completely different culture. And this time still shapes me today. This valuable intercultural competence is the basis for my high tolerance towards my fellow human beings – regardless of their origin and inclination. For me, only one thing counts: the person standing opposite me. I know how to scale back my own needs when I recognize the needs of my counterpart. However, tolerance and kindness are not one-way streets. They only work on reciprocity – and then something good comes out of it.

“Openness“

You will certainly notice it quickly during the first encounter: I am a very open soul. Always friendly, but relentlessly open in content. I have learned that no party benefits when facts are swept under the rug or ignored. The thick end inevitably comes and usually continues to grow in the unresolved state. This openness, in turn, leads to – yes, how should I put it … a little less diplomacy. I don’t know any barriers between hierarchies. For me, everyone has a task to fulfill and is thus in service to others. On the other hand, I do not claim unconditional implementation of proposed solutions. I recognize, speak out what I have recognized and gladly participate in the solution. I support finding solutions with arguments, but I have no interest in converting the unwilling. In my experience, lasting solutions can only be found with willing parties.

“Reliability, Accuracy and Punctuality“

Reliability is for me the appreciation of the counterpart. Unreliability shows me without detour the low priority for the counterpart. I

myself have an above-average demand for reliability, accuracy and punctuality on myself, because punctuality and accuracy are also forms of reliability

make forecasts conservatively with sufficient reserves so that my results are available on time, at least in the agreed quality and scope

always address unreliability and its effects openly.

“Adaptability, Self-Reflection and Critical Faculties“

In the project business, I am constantly immersed in new worlds with existing corporate cultures. I am expected to be able to integrate myself into the prevailing culture within a very short time. And I succeed in this through my willingness for self-reflection and critical faculties. I have the empathy to be able to assess and read my contacts even without open criticism. And if I do come in for open criticism, I ask questions in depth with great interest in order to understand the background – and don’t go straight into defense mode, which would put a strain on cooperation.

“Loyalty and Neutrality“

Now that I am over 50 years old, I have developed a firm character that is very different from the volatility of my early working years. When I agree on something, I stick to it. If I have something to say, I always say it in a friendly and constructive manner – even if the content is unpleasant for me and others. For me, personal assessments have no place in the business world, unless they are positive and motivating.

“Transparency“

For me, transparency is the basis for finding solutions and thus also for cooperation. Without transparency in the work, misunderstandings are inevitable. In my experience, transparency is only possible with work on a common data and information basis for all those involved. With this transparency, we save unnecessary effort in superfluous coordination rounds. I even go so far as to disclose my calculations to my business partners so that unnecessary negotiations are unnecessary. I always put all my cards on the table. Cooperation is perfect and successful when all parties involved have their cards face up on the table.

“Agility“

I appreciate that you have slowly become aware of why I am involved with agile. I have come to know and appreciate agility over the course of my professional years, and not just in an operational setting. Agile describes my essence and I was struck by the fit with my personality both when I first encountered it and as I delved deeper into it thereafter. I live agility. And that’s why I’m good at communicating it. I recognize the sticking points instinctively and offer solution options in the best agile sense.