Bruce Lee on Scrum and Agile

There are wise people in this world and that wisdom often transcends the topic that they are intentionality addressing. Good philosophy can be applied beyond those bounds.

As an example, here is Bruce Lee on Scrum and Agile:

I have not invented a “new style,” composite, modified or otherwise that is set within distinct form as apart from “this” method or “that” method. On the contrary, I hope to free my followers from clinging to styles, patterns, or moulds. Remember that Scrum is merely a name used, a mirror in which to see “ourselves”. . . Scrum is not an organized institution that one can be a member of. Either you understand or you don’t, and that is that.

There is no mystery about my style. My movements are simple, direct and non-classical. The extraordinary part of it lies in its simplicity. Every movement agile is being so of itself. There is nothing artificial about it. I always believe that the easy way is the right way. Scrum is simply the direct expression of one’s feelings with the minimum of movements and energy. The closer to the true way of Agile, the less wastage of expression there is.

Finally, a Scrum man who says Scrum is exclusively Scrum is simply not with it. He is still hung up on his self-closing resistance, in this case anchored down to reactionary pattern, and naturally is still bound by another modified pattern and can move within its limits. He has not digested the simple fact that truth exists outside all moulds; pattern and awareness is never exclusive.

Again let me remind you Scrum is just a name used, a boat to get one across, and once across it is to be discarded and not to be carried on one’s back.

Learn the principle, abide by the principle, and dissolve the principle. In short, enter a mould without being caged in it. Obey the principle without being bound by it.

LEARN, MASTER AND ACHIEVE!!!

This is almost the quantification of what Scrum and Agile should mean to the people within your organization. Use it as a tool to aid in your movement towards a state within which you have your own tailored and adaptive process.

A process that allows your organization to continuously delight your customers.