Agile began in the 1990s and has been known worldwide since 2000 with various application cases. For a while, it was regarded as the exclusive property of small start-ups, but recently, large companies are also showing great interest as its amazing productivity and innovation are known. Reporter Jang Jae-woong, author of "Naked Agile" and also an Agile instructor, emphasizes that in order to succeed in transforming Agile, "organizational culture change through Agile management" must be achieved. Agile should be expanded to the overall management, not just as a strategy or tool for improving productivity. Let's find out why Agile is management, and what kind of culture the Agile organization and Agile management create.
[Series preview]
① Tailorism vs Agile Management
② Hierarchical organization vs Agile organization (→ We're Here Now!)
Decision-making structure
Traditionally, business management emphasized organizing through hierarchies. Many felt the harm of hierarchical organizations in person, but thought it was inevitable when it came to business management. Hierarchical organizations like this create a 'centralization' of decision-making. The highest decision-making authority is concentrated at the highest point of the hierarchy. In many cases, the employees at the very end of an organization do not have any authority.
On the other hand, in Agile, the entire team shares responsibilities. Individual team members are empowered. The team members can lead the tasks they choose and make the necessary decisions in their areas. For example, when a developer who develops a particular function selects the technical stack or implementation method required for that function, it can be decided without the approval of a superior. This is possible because Agile basically trusts the capabilities of its members and communicates actively through daily stand-up meetings. By quickly sharing each other's situation and exchanging help if necessary, it is possible to respond flexibly and quickly to customer needs and problems.
System
The author of "Naked Agile" describes hierarchical organizations as "closed systems" based on "low trust." Businesses create access cards and check rush hour based on distrust that employees will be negligent. Internal rules also restrict when an office is available. Organizational performance metrics (KPIs) are set up to quantify performance and score points based on employee evaluation. Agile's system is the opposite.
Agile aims for an 'open system' based on trust. Consider employees as voluntary workers and assume that they can fulfill their responsibilities by giving them freedom. After defining the team's goals and visions, they each choose their own roles. Team members understand the purpose of their work and do their job by being creative to achieve their goals. Through regular reviews and retrospectives, they exchange feedback with team members. Achievements are reflecting on, remembering, and encouraging each team member who played a role in the process, even if they are for the whole team. You will be motivated by fully verifying your achievements.
A view of productivity
A typical company with a hierarchical organization wants its employees to work quickly and as much as they can. I thought that only then could I improve efficiency and productivity. Will productivity increase if you work tirelessly? According to the Job Stress Study of Office Workers (1), job stress can be alleviated by briefly deviating from job continuity. It was found that the duration of learning for adults was up to 96 minutes. Ventilation is required after a certain period of time for office workers to maintain their concentration. Concentration and efficiency can be further improved by focusing on work after new stimulation and refreshments.
Margaret Heffernan, the author of "Small Decisions Change Companies," says growing "social capital" is the most important thing for an organization to be productive. Social capital refers to the effective functioning of a group through cooperation, trust, and interaction based on interpersonal relationships. The social capital formed by meeting colleagues or members of other departments at work, having business and personal conversations, means more than a break. This is because it forms the foundation for a flexible and cooperative atmosphere in collaboration. The author of "Naked Agile" emphasizes that "Having free time is an essential factor for an organization to work and grow efficiently for it." Making all personnel work 100 percent right now seems to be effective, but over time, it will have worse consequences. Employees should be viewed as an "investment" rather than a waste of time.
1) The mediating effect of job stress and its sub-variables in the relationship between leisure satisfaction and psychological well-being of office workers, Baek Seung-ryul/Lee Mi-sook
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