When we talk about the Seven Virtues of Agility, one that often stands out is humility. It’s an essential ingredient for effective collaboration and success within Agile teams. Whether you’re a product owner, product manager, or a developer, embracing humility can dramatically impact the quality of your work and the strength of your team.
In this post, we’re diving deep into why humility matters in Agile and how it plays a crucial role in building trust, fostering collaboration, and creating products that truly meet customer needs.
As a product owner or manager, you likely have countless ideas that you believe will bring value to your product. It’s natural to feel attached to these ideas. After all, they come from your expertise and understanding of the market. However, one of the biggest traps we can fall into is assuming that what we think is valuable will automatically translate into value for others.
The truth? Not all of our ideas are winners. And that’s okay!
Humility helps us recognize that:
Our ideas might not always hit the mark.
We need to listen to others—team members, stakeholders, and most importantly, customers.
Success often comes from the collective wisdom of the team, not just from individual brilliance.
This humility extends beyond the product world. Developers, too, can fall into the trap of thinking their solutions or methods are the best. But Agile is all about collaboration, and that requires checking egos at the door. It’s about saying, “Here’s my idea—let’s discuss whether it works” instead of “I’m always right.”
So how do we cultivate humility in Agile teams?
Adopt a “Let’s Discuss” Attitude
When we approach conversations with modesty, we’re more likely to have meaningful discussions. Instead of assuming we know the right answer, we open the door to other perspectives. This attitude fosters:
Empathy 🧡
Trust 💡
Stronger relationships 🤝
Be Open to Feedback
In Agile, feedback is a gift. It’s the key to continuous improvement. However, being receptive to feedback requires humility. We must listen not only to what our customers are saying but also to the feedback from our team.
Key Tip: Don’t make assumptions! 🚫 This is one of the major risks in Agile. It’s easy to assume that our understanding is always accurate, but in reality, our biases can cloud judgment. Often, we need someone else to point out those biases, but we must be willing to listen to their observations.
In the product world, humility goes hand in hand with data-driven decision-making. While it’s important to trust your instincts, you must also be open to what the data is telling you.
Here’s how humility can guide your decision-making process:
Look at how customers use your product
It’s not enough to launch a feature and walk away. You need to see how people engage with it. Are they using it the way you expected? Or has their behavior surprised you? These insights will help you adapt and refine your product.
Measure employee morale
Your team’s happiness directly influences the success of your product. Low morale can lead to burnout, reduced creativity, and, ultimately, lower-quality work. So, ask yourself: How do my employees feel about our collaboration? What could we be doing differently to improve their experience? 📊
Don’t Be Afraid to Change Course
Humility means being willing to say, “We were wrong” and pivot when necessary. There’s no shame in adjusting your path based on new data, insights, or feedback. In fact, it’s a sign of strength.
A quick note on cognitive bias: It’s something that affects everyone, and it can be challenging to detect in ourselves. That’s why it’s crucial to have someone else provide an outside perspective.
Listen to Other Perceptions
While you shouldn’t blindly follow every piece of advice, it’s important to consider other viewpoints. Maybe your colleague sees something you missed. Or maybe your customers are giving you subtle feedback that you’re not catching.
Use the Data, But Interpret Carefully
As the saying goes, “There are lies, damn lies, and statistics.” While facts are vital, they can be interpreted in multiple ways. Approach your data with humility, recognizing that even hard numbers may not always tell the full story.
In my experience, humility has been a game-changer when working with Agile teams. I’ve seen product owners who initially resisted feedback from their developers, only to realize later that the team’s insights led to a much stronger product.
Similarly, developers who thought their technical approach was flawless learned through feedback from their peers that there were better, more efficient solutions. In both cases, embracing humility didn’t just lead to better outcomes—it also built a sense of camaraderie within the team.
My advice? If you’re having difficulty embracing humility or fully integrating the Seven Virtues of Agility into your team, don’t hesitate to seek help. A consultant, coach, or trainer can offer the outside perspective you need to move forward. 🛠️
At Naked Agility, we specialize in helping teams embrace Agile principles, including humility. Whether you’re struggling with collaboration, data-driven decision-making, or just need an outside perspective to identify your cognitive biases, my team is here to help.
Remember:
Humility builds trust. 🤝
Trust leads to better collaboration. 💬
Collaboration creates successful products. 🏆
If you’re ready to take your Agile practice to the next level, don’t wait. Get in touch with us today through the links below, and let’s work together to create a more humble, empathetic, and effective Agile team.
If you've made it this far, it's worth connecting with our principal consultant and coach, Martin Hinshelwood, for a 30-minute 'ask me anything' call.
We partner with businesses across diverse industries, including finance, insurance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, technology, engineering, transportation, hospitality, entertainment, legal, government, and military sectors.
NIT A/S
