CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY

Any use of this material without specific permission of McKinsey & Company is strictly prohibited

May 16, 2019

Wouter Aghina & Arthur Vos

How to select and develop individuals for successful agile teams

2

Who are we

Wouter Aghinais passionate about agile because

of his children

Arthur Vosis passionate about agile because

of the purpose it creates

Dave WestCEO and Product Owner at Scrum.org

3

Simple work is being replaced by complex work

VS.

4

The digital age: an unprecedented number of opportunities for organizations to create value

Increased customer expectations and new ways

to engage

Employees with very different expectations

and needs

The rise of machine learning, AI and

automation

5

1 Agile is a means to an end, not an end in itself

Agile is not a synonym for scrum

Agile is a fundamental shift across five trademarks, covering the entire organization

2

3

Our core beliefs

6

Five trademarks of agile organizations

Network of cross-functional, empowered teams

Small, empowered teams

with the right capabilities

and clear missions that

can rapidly be deployed

and are organized in as

few layers as possible

Rapid decision and learning cycles

Work carried out in short

iterations with the goal of

minimizing risk through

testing and learning

Dynamic people model that ignites passion

Culture focused on

fostering, attracting and

retaining talent, through

empowerment, servant

leadership and job

satisfaction

TechnologyStrategy Structure Process People

Clear North Star to which

entire organization

(management and

employees) is aligned and

working towards

North Star embodied across the organization

Simplified, modular

technology stack (e.g.,

DevOps, Cloud) to support

quick iterations, higher

deployment velocity and

resiliency

Next generation enabling technology

Link: The five trademarks of agile organizations

7

Question:

Who are the right people to work in an agile organization?

8

Ability to handle ambiguity

Outcome orientation

Team orientation

We researched personality traits and work values which support three agile principles

Link: How to select and develop individuals for successful agile teams: A practical guide

9

What is the most important personality trait for people in an agile organization?

Handles ambiguityFlexible, adjustable, yielding, tractable, willing

AgreeablenessTrusting/appreciative, straightforward, altruistic, compliant/kind, modest, tender-minded

ExtroversionWarm, gregarious, assertive, enthusiastic (activity-seeking), excitement seeking, prone to positive emotions

ConscientiousnessCompetent, prefers order, dutiful, achievement striving, self-disciplined, deliberate

OpennessIntrospective, curious, imaginative, insightful, original, wide interests

NeuroticismAnxious, hostile, depressed, self-conscious, impulsive, vulnerable

10

Relative importance of personality traits

1.5

1.0

0.7

0.6

-0.5

-3.2

Conscientiousness

Openness

Handles ambiguity

Agreeableness

Neuroticism

Extroversion

Mean importance across all values Relatively less important Relatively more important

!

11

Agreeableness - the secret sauce for success?

Yes, and vs.

Yes, but

Agreeableness (Friendly/compassionate vs Challenging/detached).

Tendency to be compassionate and cooperative rather than

suspicious and antagonistic towards others. It also a measure

of ones trusting and helpful nature, and whether a person is

generally well tempered or not. High agreeableness is often

seen as naïve or submissive. Low agreeableness

personalities are often competitive or challenging people

which can be seen as argumentative or untrustworthy.

12

What are the most important work values for people in an agile organization?

Pride in productEmphasize product ownership, its values and contributions

Customer centricEmphasize pursuit of fulfilling customers’ needs and preferences

Openness to changeEmphasize independence of thought, action, and readiness for change

Self-transcendence Emphasize concern for the welfare and interests of organizational colleagues

Self-enhancementEmphasize pursuit of one’s own interests and relative success over that of organizational colleagues

ConservationEmphasize order, preservation of the past, and resistance to organizational change

13

Relative importance of work values

2.0

1.1

0.6

-0.1

-0.8

-2.9

Openness to change

Customer-centrism

Pride in product

Self-transcendence

Self-enhancement

Conservation

Mean importance across all values Relatively less important Relatively more important

14

1 Certain personality traits and work values are crucial for success in agile organizations

Three take-aways for leaders in agile organizations

15

1 Certain personality traits and work values are crucial for success in agile organizations

You can select for these traits and values when hiring

2

Three take-aways for leaders in agile organizations

16

When hiring, focus on four things

Outcomes, customer value and a big vision

What gets you excited?

If money was no objective

what would you do?

Mentoring, helping others, valuing teams

When did you last help

someone?

When did someone last

help you?

Interested in the customer, care about their pains

What would you ask the

customer?

How would you measure their

success?

Proud of their work, care about their craft

Describe something you are

proud of

Describe something you are

disappointed with

17

1 Certain personality traits and work values are crucial for success in agile organizations

You can select for these traits and values when hiring

Once hired, you can coach for them

2

3

Three take-aways for leaders in agile organizations

Link: Leading agile transformation: The new capabilities leaders need to build 21st-century organizations

Ultimately, it is in your hands