Our work and research on Agile leadership has led us to the conclusion that successful Agile leaders are adept at
understanding the larger context of their current situation and operate with a clear mindset on the specific role they
play at any given stage of an Agile project. These roles are:

1. Diagnostician and Decider:

From an Agile perspective, achieving the desired result starts with knowing what kind of problem you are facing.
The Agile leader spends time in this role to really diagnose the nature of a problem and decide what steps to
take, in what order, towards solving it. In this role, the leader will systematically gather insights, issues, and
experiences from all stakeholders, and use this information to accurately describe the current situation, frame
the problem precisely, and develop a compelling vision for what the future state will look like. This future vision
will help people to understand the reason for making a change and build momentum towards achieving it.

2. Active Agent of Change:

When it comes to making a change to the way things are done in an organization, not everyone is going to see
the value of that change in the same way at the same time. The Agile leader is astutely aware of this and is
adept at using a variety of strategies to help people impacted by change adapt to it. We teach our clients
several models of change to help the leader understand where people are currently on the curve of change and
to target where they need to go. Facilitating change in Agile work is a bit like being a performer in the circus
who spins the plates on sticks. As momentum on a plate starts to slow, the performer re-energizes it with the
right kind of intervention. This is how it works with Agile – knowing when and how to intervene to inject the
right momentum with a team engaged in a change initiative is a critical skill for the leader.

3. Implementor or Action:

A central idea of leading Agile work is to break large projects down into smaller, more manageable parts so they
are not so overwhelming to manage. Breaking things down in this way helps to set clear goals and make work
assignments that are to be done in a short period in order to make meaningful progress. The Agile leader is
relentless in driving action through others through accountability, leading inclusively, being open to new ideas,
taking advantage of all the assets that team members bring (including some that may be hidden), and helping to
make connections across various workgroups by thinking horizontally. This role is the most challenging yet
exciting because it is in performing in this role that the tangible efforts of the work is realized, and real progress
is achieved.

4. Reflective Learner:

A wise person once said: “if you are not reflecting on your actions, then you are not learning.” The Agile leader
maintains a healthy respect for reflecting on past experience and learning from it. They take the time to reflect
on the progress being made frequently throughout a major project and adjust the course if needed. We teach
our clients to facilitate reflective conversations at critical points in their work by asking three questions: What’s
working? What’s not working? What should we do differently? This simple, three-part process offers an
invitation for all people working on an initiative to assess how things are going against their expectations and to
decide what, if any, course adjustments are necessary. The reflective learner role includes the ability to lead
inclusivity as well to create trust and provide a safe space where team members can be open and honest with
their experience.