video

Where Agile Went Wrong: Understanding the Competence Crisis

Published on
5 minute read

Agile was supposed to revolutionize the way we build and deliver products, but it veered off track surprisingly early. The seeds of these challenges were planted during the creation of the Agile Manifesto itself. At Snowbird, a group of experienced and capable practitioners crafted a vision for agility in software development. However, they made some assumptions that have come to haunt us.

Let’s dive into where these assumptions came from, how they shaped Agile’s early days, and why today’s landscape demands a more rigorous focus on competence and continuous learning. 🌱


The Assumptions Made by Agile’s Founders

The Agile pioneers at Snowbird were highly esteemed professionals—working with the best in their industries. But their selection came with an implicit assumption: that everyone involved in Agile’s growth would be just as competent, curious, and capable.

The reality, however, turned out to be quite different. Many teams and organizations have struggled to live up to these expectations, leading to a competence gap that continues to impact the effectiveness of Agile.


Why Continuous Learning Matters in Agile

For Agile to truly succeed, we need to constantly reassess whether we are on the right path. This requires:

Yet, the world isn’t set up to foster this kind of mindset widely. As someone who has seen Agile in action, I can tell you that only about 20% of people are truly committed to this level of continuous improvement. The rest? They often prefer a simpler routine—go to work, get a paycheck, go home.


The Supply-Demand Imbalance for Agile Competence

The demand for Agile professionals has outstripped the supply of truly competent individuals. Here’s where the gap lies:

I remember reading a blog post in my early days that said, “If you’re reading this, you’re already in the top 10%.” This resonated with me because it highlights just how rare it is to find people who are genuinely dedicated to continuous improvement.


Agile Teams: Special Operations Units 🛠️

Think of Agile teams as Special Operations teams:

But this is precisely why a Scrum Master is vital—to act as a proxy for that focus and drive. When we find the right people to fill these roles, like Satya Nadella at Microsoft, they can transform an entire organization.


The Competence Crisis in Scrum Master Roles

This gap in competence becomes especially apparent in the role of the Scrum Master. A study from a validation organization found that:

This is a systemic issue. Organizations have lowered their hiring standards to fill these roles, leading to a large number of people who don’t have the necessary skills to be effective Scrum Masters.


Why Hiring Practices Must Change to Fix Agile 🛠️

Organizations must rethink their hiring practices for Agile roles:

  1. Hire for Lifelong Learning 📚: Seek out individuals who actively pursue knowledge—those who read, watch videos, and experiment with new practices.

  2. Raise the Bar for Certifications 🎓: A two-day course like PSM or CSM Level 1 isn’t enough. Look for advanced certifications like PSM 3, which require deep knowledge and application.

  3. Focus on Contextual Understanding 🌍:

    • Product Context: Does the Scrum Master understand the industry or product domain?

    • Team Context: Have they worked directly with teams in similar situations?

    • Organizational Context: Do they know how to drive change within a company’s unique culture?

Satya Nadella is a prime example of someone who embodies these qualities. His engineering background, deep business understanding, and vision for organizational transformation have allowed him to turn Microsoft around successfully.


The Role of Competence in Agile Success

If Agile is to thrive, we need to focus on fostering competence within teams:

I’ve seen firsthand how organizations struggle when they ignore this advice. One memorable instance was when a company promoted an accountant to project manager after a two-day training. It was, as you can imagine, a disaster.


Conclusion: A Path Forward for Agile

The Agile community has come a long way since the early days, but we still face a competence crisis that needs to be addressed head-on. To build truly effective Agile teams, organizations must:

🚀 By focusing on these areas, we can build a future where Agile truly lives up to its promise—delivering value, adapting continuously, and empowering individuals and teams to thrive. Let’s get back on track, and make Agile what it was always meant to be!

video Agile Scrum Scrum Master

Connect with Martin Hinshelwood

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.

Our Happy Clients​

We partner with businesses across diverse industries, including finance, insurance, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, technology, engineering, transportation, hospitality, entertainment, legal, government, and military sectors.​

Schlumberger Logo
Freadom Logo
Jack Links Logo
Epic Games Logo
Boeing Logo
Qualco Logo
Cognizant Microsoft Business Group (MBG) Logo
YearUp.org Logo
Trayport Logo
Ericson Logo
Capita Secure Information Solutions Ltd Logo
Philips Logo
Sage Logo
Big Data for Humans Logo
ALS Life Sciences Logo
Boxit Document Solutions Logo
Illumina Logo
MacDonald Humfrey (Automation) Ltd. Logo
Royal Air Force Logo
Washington Department of Transport Logo
Department of Work and Pensions (UK) Logo
Ghana Police Service Logo
New Hampshire Supreme Court Logo
Washington Department of Enterprise Services Logo
Alignment Healthcare Logo
Qualco Logo
New Signature Logo
Boeing Logo
Epic Games Logo
Workday Logo