Think of a time when you learned a new skill, overcame a challenge, or embarked on a new journey. Looking back, what helped you to just keep going? If I were to guess, you might have thought of words like drive, persistence or tenacity and that might be the case. There's another word to add here: mindset or an agile mindset. Growing an agile mindset is something that happens over time. Individuals and teams experience it often. In this presentation, we will go over the agile mindset, why growing an agile mindset is essential and explore several ways that could help in growing an agile mindset.

1. Growing an
agile mindset
@selleithy
www.sparkagility.com

2. Breakout
Think of a time when you learned a
new skill, overcame a challenge, or
embarked on a new journey.
Looking back, what helped you
to just keep going?

3. What is a Mindset?
A mindset is an established set
of attitudes and behaviors
about how we accomplish work.
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Mindset = attitudes + behaviors
thoughts
spoken or unspoken
actions

4. What attitudes
and behaviors do
you notice at
work?

5. Mindset = attitudes + behaviors
Fixed
Growth
I canʼt get up early
I can get up early
Go to be late
In bed by 9pm

6. Mindset = attitudes + behaviors
Fixed
Growth
Know it all before
we start
Learn as we go
Upfront requirements
Small batches

7. Fixed vs. Growth Mindset
• People in a fixed mindset believe
you either are good at something or
you arenʼt based on your inherent
nature
• People in a growth mindset believe
anyone can be good at anything
because your ability are entirely
due to your actions

8. What mindset does
this attitude support?
• Weʼve always done this way
• We want to learn new ways of working
• Thatʼs not my job
• Teamwork is essential to get this done
• We need this to be perfect
• Multitasking is how we get things done
• Focus is a big value for us

9. Breakout
Where do you have a fixed mindset? Whatʼs the impact?
Where do you have a growth mindset? Whatʼs the impact?

10. Agile is a Mindset
We are uncovering better ways…
…of (developing software) by
doing it and helping others do it.
Agile is a growth mindset

11. Agile attitudes…(or
values)
Through this work we have come to value:
Individuals and interactions over
processes and tools
Customer collaboration over contract
negotiation
Working software over Comprehensive
documentation
Responding to change over following a plan

12. In other words…
We value relationships
We value collaboration
We value delivering business
value or making an impact
We value being resilient

13. More Agile attitudes (or principles)
http://agilemanifesto.org /principles.html

14. Breakout
• How might you grow an agile
mindset?
• What could you do differently?

15. Seeds for growing an agile mindset
Building relationships
(ex: lean coffee)
Establishing connections
(ex: games)
Encouraging learning
and experimentation
(ex: starting a
community or practice
or a book club)
Creating a safe
environment (ex:
psychological safety)
Sharing knowledge (ex:
host brown bag
sessions)
Asking open ended
questions (ex: What
have we tried? or
Whatʼs missing?
Asking for help (ex:
delegation)

16. Agile behaviors…(or
practices)
• Visual boards
• Iterations
• Planning
• Stories
• Reviews
• Backlogs
• Retrospectives

17. Agile Mindset =
values +
principles +
practices

18. References
• Mindset: The Psychology of Success.
How we can learn to fulfill our
potential. Carol Dweck
• What is the Agile Mindset? Dr.
Ahmed Sidky