2021 02 12

My take on Agile – And why it doesn’t work!

I really thought I had seen the light, but while using agile frameworks I started to realize lots of companies just use agile to patch broken things and treat symptoms - and not the organizational disease they are suffering from. I reevaluated agile, and here is my take on the needs of modern management and HR.

I never really felt at home in HR. I still remember the frustration in the eyes of managers in a large IT-company where I did my Master thesis many years ago when HR-processes were brought up. For a long time, I tried to wash away the HR stamp on my forehead and I was really happy when I found Agile. All of a sudden, I saw a way of working that would actually help rather than limit HR work and that was the beginning of a new mindset for me.

I really thought I had seen the light, but while using agile frameworks I started to realize lots of companies just use agile to patch broken things and treat symptoms – and not the organizational disease they are suffering from. I reevaluated agile, and here is my take on the needs of modern management and HR:

Focus on value is dead important. Agile can really give you that. HR processes and routines are a great example that often becomes rigid scaffolding, time consuming and seldom purposeful. An agile mindset can change how HR supports managers. For sure. In times of Covid and working from home, agile can help set targets and structure without controlling. Well aligned with modern management.

But most important to me: Agile is about learning. Continuous iterations are a perfect platform for planning & discussions, decision-making, implementation and evaluation. It creates a growth mindset and is a well needed help handling a VUCA world with accelerating change rates and big uncertainty. 

And still. It seldom works. Why? I believe because it’s about people. I see a lot of companies putting together new teams almost monthly, not giving time to develop an efficient team and not supporting the people within the organization in their personal leadership and development. We expect people to be aware of their attitudes, their behaviour and how they interact with others – without any help. 

So if you want to deliver value, create efficient teams and if you want people to prosper you need to invest in the individuals, the teams and the organizational culture. – not just implementing an agile framework. And that’s not done over night. This is definitely a threshold and the reason why I sometimes chose to step back from assignments or turn down business opportunities. Because I see that my involvement wouldn’t make a difference. 

Cocky? Yes perhaps, but I have also seen what happens when we go the long way. If you are interested in this long way, please reach out and let’s see if we can walk together for a while on this path of change…

Johan Norrfjärd
I work with people driven business development. Simply because I want to give momentum to the right kind of transformation. The transformation coming from vertical development that creates a better world for current and coming generations. I strive for trust, happiness and freedom in all collaborations and co-creations.
CoCreate – a way of challenging the consultancy business

CoCreate – a way of challenging the consultancy business

Mid-pandemy, I had a small digital after work with Johan Welander, a wise friend of mine. He, just as me, is running his own business, is into public speaking and also a high level HR nerd. He said that three years into being self employed and gigger, he started to have the same questions popping up as after a couple of years at earlier workplaces: Is this really forever? What is my next step? Where do I go from here?

read more
Heard of hell week?

Heard of hell week?

I just had a hell month. This autumn, September just flew by. I have never had so much to do, and I’m totally grateful for the opportunities presented to me by my clients and partners. It comes as the same time as a puppy enters my family (and office), my youngest son starts a new school and my wife starts a new job. And now, out on the other side where I’m grateful the light in the tunnel wasn’t a train, it got me thinking…

read more
Reflections after Beyond Retreat in Fulufjället national Park 2021

Reflections after Beyond Retreat in Fulufjället national Park 2021

Busy is the new stupid. Those words flashed by on LinkedIn a while ago. And it stills seems legit. The last year has taught me the importance of unscheduled time. Not without direction. But with focus on my own inner direction. This autumn started with the possibility to come back to that inner direction in the best way possible. Together with Siri Wikander and Niklas Lindhardt, I brought 10 leaders from different businesses to Fulufjället national Park for Beyond Retreat. And these are my key takeways from this cocreated journey.

read more
Time flies when you have fun!

Time flies when you have fun!

And this year really flew away! I have been privileged not to be affected too much by the pandemic and the last months I have been doing so much fun things, but now summer is sneaking into my life more and more and it is soon time for a few weeks out of office. But first I must share some great news!

read more
The Hybrid workplace – yet another new normal?

The Hybrid workplace – yet another new normal?

So I’m finally joining in the chant of the prophets on how to organize our work life post the pandemic. But I want to add a perspective I haven’t seen so much of, and that I find crucial – a growth mindset. I hope this article can give you interesting reading as well as practical tips on how to make a transition towards a growth mindset, which I see as one of the most important prerequisites in to the next new normal. and the next. And the next…

read more
Do you want to punch me in the face?

Do you want to punch me in the face?

The topic might be set due to that I’m just now reading the book Våldet (The violence) by Musse Hasselvall and Robert Svensson :). So, punching might of course be equal to give me feedback and share some thoughts.

read more
A brand new office at Garveriet in Floda!

A brand new office at Garveriet in Floda!

1st of April, Recreatio opens it’s first office att Garveriet (No joke). Garveriet is a really cool place for sustainability-focused businesses. A bunch of startups and small scale companies co-locates there, and I am really proud to call this home from now on.

read more
Recruiting a Science & Technical Advisor to IPEN

Recruiting a Science & Technical Advisor to IPEN

I get really warm inside every time a former client comes back with a new project. This was really the case when I was contacted by Maria Ekström at IPEN about some recruitment support. Together we have got deep into the IPEN’s needs in a growth process that implies a transition into a new organization and adding needed competence to the organization.

read more