Overcoming fear of acceptance in Agile Delivery

Anything new means that there is a need to embrace change. With change comes resistance. Resistance could be due to a variety of reasons, the most common one being fear. It’s quite natural that there is fear in accepting agile delivery as well. However it is important to understand what’s behind this fear.

Understanding that will be the first step in dealing with it, and then taking subsequent steps to figure out ways to overcome such fears and to go forward and beyond.

In this blog post, let us try to understand the common reasons for fear of acceptance in Agile Delivery and the ways to overcome these fears.

If you are a Business Owner / Business Service Provider, partially or fully

Fear could be due to:
Fear 1: Is the IT Service Provider well equipped and skilled enough to build solutions using Agile delivery?
Fear 2: How will Stakeholders and Investors react and respond?
Fear 3: What is going to be our go to market success rate?
Fear 4: There are too many frameworks, methods and practices. How do I know that the right one has been chosen?

Here’s how you can address the fears.

Is the IT Service Provider well equipped and skilled enough to build solutions using Agile delivery?

Check for recommendations from your business network
Ask your IT Service Provider for Case Studies
Talk to their leaders and key practitioners

How will Stakeholders and Investors react and respond?

Highlight value delivery, time to market and possible cost optimization
Showcase successful case studies, product rollouts and value propositions
Spend time discussing their apprehensions, propositions and elicit mutual participation

What is going to be our go to market success rate?

Engage with market leaders in your network and seasoned practitioners to understand
Seek guidance and consultation from market analysts
Start small, take measured risks, invest

There are too many frameworks, methods and practices. How do I know that the right one has been chosen?

If you have an in-house IT department, then engage them to get specific framework recommendations which can be discussed with the IT Service Provider
If not, ask your IT Service Provider for proven frameworks to be used and to play within the boundaries in the beginning
Once you build a relationship and experience, trust your IT Service Provider to choose the right frameworks, methods and practices based on your business context

If you are an IT Service Provider, partially or fully

Fear could be due to:
Fear 1: What about the learning required and skills to be developed?
Fear 2: How will Stakeholders and Customers react and respond?
Fear 3: What is going to be our delivery success rate?
Fear 4: There are too many frameworks, methods and practices. How to choose?

Here’s how you can address the fears.

What about the learning required and skills to be developed?

Get a broad understanding of Agile Delivery, important frameworks and practices
Invest on essential learning and create skilled practitioners
Uphold continuous learning

How will Stakeholders and Customers react and respond?

Highlight value delivery, time to market and possible cost optimization
Showcase successful case studies, product rollouts and value propositions
Spend time discussing their business, products and propositions and elicit mutual participation

What is going to be our delivery success rate?

Engage with Agile delivery leaders and seasoned practitioners to understand
Seek guidance and consultation
Start small, get equipped and build capabilities

There are too many frameworks, methods and practices. How to choose?

Early on, ask for help from experts to understand the choice of frameworks, methods and practices based on the context of your project / product engagements
Start with proven frameworks and play within the boundaries in the beginning
Once you build capabilities and experience, trust your practitioners to choose the right frameworks, methods and practices based on the business context of the customer

A balanced Triangle of Agility where the practicing team, the management and the customer engage seamlessly will be instrumental in overcoming fear of acceptance in Agile Delivery.