In one of our Customer engagements, the organization is transitioning to Spotify kind of Agile approach. In this context the role of Delivery/People Managers is changing to Chapter Leads. They form a matrix structure with Squad Leads. Their role is changing from Delivery ownership to Capability/Competence enablement role. How to help them to transition to the new role smoothly?
Suggested Solution
In their new role as Chapter Leads, they will have to unlearn some of the past approaches and learn a few new things:
– They need to let go of the past control-oriented ownership. And need to let go of the hierarchical mindset, as the new structure brings a matrix-oriented way of engaging.
– They need to embrace more facilitative and collaborative approaches as they need to engage with different components of the flat network-oriented organization.
– They need to learn to work with shared accountability and responsibilities that come in the matrix structure, which require more of networking, relationship-building and influencing skills. They need to be more self-organizing, taking ownership and reaching out to different parts of the matrix organization as needed.
– Trying to define the roles very clearly in a matrix structure will lead to creating silos as people will tend to go by the role specification; but this is an antipattern of matrix structure which is designed for breaking down silos. Hence the roles will have certain fuzziness and overlap which the Chapter Leads need to learn to work with/leverage.
– They need to develop more servant leadership qualities to develop people capabilities & competencies.
In summary, Chapter Leads need to focus on adopting to new mindset more than the new processes.
As Sivaguru puts it, Tribes are about Purpose, Squads are about Autonomy and Chapters are about Mastery.
One Response
A very relevant article, that tries to address some of the core barriers to adoption of Agile in an organization.
Also, apart from the organization culture, one might need to look at the core beliefs of the individuals involved, as at the end of the day, there are many subconscious influences acting upon each of us whether we realize it or not.
For example, are each of the individuals in the team following any mental and physical hygiene practices that makes them more flexible and adaptable to adoption of change. Similarly, in the Indian context, even if the organizational culture is collaborative or innovative we still tend to be hierarchical by virtue of our tradition, so a mixed approach may be always called for.