01 Mar Agile AND Leadership styles
One Agile principles says “The best architectures requirements , and designs emerges from self-organizing teams”
So how this impact in the Agile Leadership? How an Agile Coach or Scrum Master has to help the team?
The Situational Leadership Theory is a leadership theory developed by Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard. The main principle of this theory is that there is not a single way in the leadership style so the most effective way is adapt the leadership style to the maturity of the staff that is being leading and the details of the task.
Leadership Styles
Hersey and Blanchard categorised the leadership styles in four behaviour types:
- Telling (S1): where the leader provides the what, how, when and where to do the task. This style is based in a high level of direction and low level of relationship.
(Gene Hackman with a telling leader style in Crisom Tide)
So in this situation I don´t see Capt Frank Ramsie (Gene Hackman) managing an Agile Team. He uses the command and control style usual in old fashion companies. An Agile Coach is a servant leadership so should avoid this style.
- Selling (S2): where the leader provides information and direction, but there’s more communication with the team. Leaders “sell” their message to get people on board. In this style there are a high level of power by there are a high level of relationship too. Another style where the team has not power to make their own decisions. This style is less control freak but not
(Josh Lucas is a selling leader in Glory Road)
- Participating (S3): where the leader works with the team, and shares decision-making responsibilities. In this style there are a less level on direction and is focused on the relationship. This style is close to Agile allowing the team to make their own decisions.
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(Robin Williams is a Participing leader in Deads Poets Society)
- Delegating (S4): where the leader delegates or pass most of the responsibility to the team. The leader still monitors progress, but he’s less involved in decisions. In this style there are a low level of direction and relationships. This provides all the decisions to the team
(Al Pacino is a Delegating Leader in Any Given Sunday)
Warren Bennis said “Management is getting people to do what needs to be done. Leadership is getting people to want what needs to be done”. Agile is about leadership not management so in this case Agile will go to Participating (S3) and Delegating (S4). At some point we need some management but remember that the teams are self organise. An Agile Coach can provide guidance and allow the team make mistakes and learn from then.
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