Being agile — as a person or organization — feels necessary to survival these days, doesn’t it?
But we know the tension you and your organization feels when faced with a pivot.
On one hand, your nonprofit exists to uphold a set of traditions and principles. Look at the founding documents and you’ll see language that defines convictions and mission very well.
On the other hand, those same guiding principles often say very little about managing change. And frankly, some people in your organization (perhaps including you!) seem quite resistant to the risk inherent with change.
So, there’s both an opportunity and a sore spot here. It’s how to quickly respond to, lead through, and even encourage change.
Cues from Native Changers
Imagine being someone who counts on change as part of the challenge you’re hired to meet.
Now imagine small teams of people just like you, organized around a quantifiable objective.
What you’re imagining is what many in the tech world call a Scrum Team.
We’ll save you from puzzling. “Scrum” is not an acronym, but a framework going back to 1986 when it became wildly successful in software development.
What’s baked into Scrum that might help you and your organization pivot more effectively today?
4 Scrum Principles to Create Teams Who Ace Change
- Deploy small teams to solve problems incrementally
Scrum Teams purposely assemble and collectively possess various skills and expertise—or have the tools to acquire skills needed—to meet the defined objective. This allows the team to work together in an agile way.
Ready for the kicker?
There are no “bosses” on the team. It’s one flat, cohesive unit of equal professionals.
This creates less friction in the creative problem-solving stage of the work. It also frees everyone up to let the best idea win.
But what or who holds them accountable?
- Grant personal autonomy rooted in shared values
A Scrum Team works because each individual commits to self-governance, for the good of the team and to accomplish the goal.
Scrum Team members expect growth of themselves and their teammates in living out five key values:
- Commitment
- Focus
- Openness
- Respect
- Courage
The Scrum Team and its members are open with each other about the work, progress, and challenges, supporting each other along the way.
This fosters a powerful environment of mutual respect.
- Make ideas actionable through short bursts of effort
Organizational change can feel like a marathon. Nonprofits can quickly get stuck or discouraged.
Scrum Teams make fantastic sprinters. They quickly work to take an idea and turn it into action.
Over a fixed length of time (often a month), individuals focus on making the best progress they can toward the larger team goal. It’s called a Sprint.
The Sprint’s horizon shouldn’t be too long. This may make getting to the goal invalid, complex, or risky. Short Sprints generate more learning.
Just keep in mind:
- No changes are made during the Sprint that would endanger the Sprint Goal.
- The quality of other work/projects does not decrease during the Sprint.
- Sprints invite a feedback loop for adaptation and review of the larger goal at least every calendar month.
- Define “done”
Defining “done” can be challenging to measure, especially in charitable organizations. Sometimes the work might never feel finished!
On Scrum Teams, everyone defines and commits to what work needs to be completed.
Then, it helps for the team to make a list of all the incremental activities needed to achieve the “done” state by the end of the Sprint or other period of time.
This creates transparency, fosters mutual accountability, and increases the quality of your service or product.
GO FORTH AND CHANGE
Scrum Teams can harness incredible creativity, productivity, and value, making huge investments in your service, product, and organizational culture. Give these principles a try, and enjoy the change that only fostering change can bring!
*Content adapted from “The Scrum Guide: The Definitive Guide to Scrum: The Rules of the Game”
