The Truth About Agile
Do you need to breathe new life into agile principles in your organization? In 2001, 17 leaders in the software development industry came together to create the Manifesto for Agile Software Development. Today, 30 fifteen year olds in Denver, CO, are tackling their English homework according to the four values and 12 principles that these leaders outlined. The agile movement started spontaneously at precisely the right moment, as the pace of change in the world was accelerating exponentially. But how did agile principles used in software development end up in public high school? If you’ve been in the industry for any time, you’ve heard the word “agile” thrown around a time or two. Perhaps you’ve been part of an “agile transformation” or attended a certification course for scrum or kanban. In the 20 years since the Manifesto for Agile Software Development was drafted, “agile” has taken on a life of its own. But what is “agile” really, and what does it mean for you? Is it story points and two week deadlines? Is it kumbaya and “soft skills”? First, we’ll get into some fundamental truths and real talk about what it means to be agile in today’s changing world. Then, book-ended by the story of 30 fifteen year olds in an agile classroom in Denver, we’ll reactivate the 12 agile principles and inspire you to create a new experience for yourself and others.
“It starts with you, because when you embrace your own uniqueness, so will your team. When you demonstrate self-confidence, self-worth, and your strengths, they will feel the permission to do the same. When you tell your stories, so will they. At this intersection of strength, vulnerability, and uniqueness, that’s where thriving begins.” - Melissa Boggs. Melissa Boggs is a keynote speaker, leadership coach, and employee experience designer. She is host of the “Wild Hearts at Work” podcast, redefining our relationship with work through stories and conversations with those challenging the status quo of today’s workplace. Melissa is a former executive with a background in leadership, business, and product development. She is a former nonprofit CEO and board member, having served on the Board of Directors for both Scrum Alliance (as Co-CEO) and Agile Denver. She was privileged to present at the 2020 World Business and Executive Coach Summit and at the 2021 WomenTech Summit, and has been featured in Business Coaching, Authority, and Business Agility Institute’s Emergence magazines. If you are interested in various letter combinations (certifications), Melissa is a Certified Enterprise Coach (CEC), Certified Team Coach (CTC), Dare to Lead Trained (DTL), Training from the Back of the Room Trained (TBR), Certified LeSS Practitioner (CLP), Kanban Management Professional (KMP I), and a Project Management Professional (PMP). She holds an MBA in IT Management and a BS in Information Technology from Western Governors University.