Building Projects Around Motivated Individuals

"Build projects around motivated individuals. Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done." - The Agile Manifesto

This is the one principle behind the Agile Manifesto that keeps me up at night. It’s the first part, the one about building projects around motivated individuals that has me worried. It is probably the single most important factor for a successful Agile team, and the one that is the most difficult for a project manager to really influence.

When I was introduced to Agile a few years back, that was the first thing that caught my attention. I was amazed at how dependent these lightweight methodologies were on the quality of the people on the team. For Agile to work, you really need to select your team members carefully and, to quote the Manifesto, give them the environment and support they need… to get the job done.

But here's the catch… many of us don't get the opportunity to hire our people or even pick our team. That is decided for us before we are handed the project.

And that is why this principle worries me. As companies try to realize the benefits of Agile, they are going to do it with their existing people. Most companies, especially the big ones, are going to have a mix of talents and people that are motivated in different ways. Can we assume that by creating an Agile environment, empowering the team, and encouraging them to self-organize that motivation will necessarily follow?

Don't we need motivated people first?

I sincerely believe that creating an environment where people can be successful will have a wonderful impact on attitudes and bring out the best in folks. Just be aware that Agile is not going to solve any of your personnel problems. It will, however, bring these issues to the surface so that they can be dealt with quickly. As managers we need to do everything we can to support the team and help them be successful.

Sometimes that means helping find new team members.

Comments

[Ilja Preuß]

In my opinion, Agile Software Development best goes hand in hand with Theory Z Management: workers are motivated, unless management does something inappropriate to demotivate them. (And sadly, in many environments they do.)

Having said that, there is a lot in Agile practices that I actually find to be quite appropriate for fostering motivation: self-directed working, collaboration, frequent feedback, close contact to the customer - to just name a few things.

And I wouldn't necessarily expect firing people just because they don't immediately conform to your new expectations to be a motivating action. Fear isn't a good change incubator.

[Mike Cottmeyer]

In general, I would agree with you. I just believe that no matter how much we want it to be true, some people do not want to operate in an Agile environment. They don't want the responsibility and accountabilty that goes along with it.

If they are not 'motivated' to work in this manner, you have done everything you can to foster an environment for them to get'motivated', and given them time to adjust, it might be time to part company.

Responsibility goes both ways. The team has to take responsibility as well. My $0.02. Thanks for your reply!

Mike

[Henk Verhoeven]

Having the luxury of picking your team vs. having a team assigned to you is much more challenging
and the question raised is such an important one.

In these situations I would either try to a) pick at least ONE person for the team if possible or b) use at least ONE person on the existing team that
exhibit the natural ability to infuse “enthusiasm” into the team. This will be the catalyst I would use to start expanding the agile methodologies. The mediocre ones will either fall at the side lines (looking elsewhere for a more comfortable place) and those with just bad habits will want to participate providing the management team is committed to agile in practice and not just in word.

It is easy to say one thing and once the team’s first agile practice is deviating from
the normal company culture shuts down the higher levels of enthusiasm will kill agile for sure.

Starting agile is much easier than changing to agile, but I believe at least that it is possible at smaller group level even if the corporate culture is non agile in nature.