I have noticed a trend for a while now and it bothers me. When I talk about #Agile bashing, I am not talking about people who are against Agile for whatever reason (fear, resistance to change, misunderstandings, etc). I am referring to Agilists who bash other Agilists. It comes from Developers, Scrum Masters, Instructors, Agile Coaches, etc. They are bashing other people or organizations that are on their Agile journey. I have seen this phenomenon in internet articles, blogs, FB groups, LinkedIn, and more. Bashers put people down and it's sad to see.
Let me bring us back to the first sentence of the Manifesto for Agile Software Development: "We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it." I would love for someone to explain to me how it is helpful to put other people down who are trying to change their company culture, work in a different way, improve their working environment, etc. It is incredibly easy to forget the mistakes we made ourselves when we were learning and changing in the beginning of our own journeys.
In actions and words, we must keep in mind the fruits of our labor. Are our actions and words causing harm or pushing people further away from Agile or are they spreading a welcoming and encouraging message?
If I spend my time condemning other people who are trying Agility, what is the result? Telling someone they are wrong or stupid does not help them move in the right direction. If I help them discover a better way, that is helpful. The time I spend pointing out the flaws of others takes time away from the time I need for myself to improve and learn more.
Every organization and individual lives in a current state that is a direct result of what has happened during their lifetime. The beginning of the journey looks difference for everyone. As a consequence, sometimes the Agile journey is quite slow or painful or it backslides. As a coach, I do not need to know the full history to be helpful. I need to understand the current status and where we want to go. I need to use empathy and encouragement, not shame and judgment. I want to draw people closer to working in a better way, not push them away. I will not push people toward Agility by force or by shaming their past or current way of working.
As Agilists, I encourage you to look at the fruits of your labor and be mindful of the impact of your words and actions.
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