The Age of Agile Book Summary

Book Summary

15 min

Brief Summary

Agile management strategies come from contemporary military tactics. They focus on flexibility by creating networks of teams to take on small projects centered on transparency and collaboration. Though these strategies can be hard to conceptualize and implement for traditional managers, they often increase productivity and allow companies to make necessary changes in an uncertain world. The strongest companies are the most adaptable companies; agile management teaches teams how to be flexible and customer-focused in order to get the job done.

About the Author

Stephen Denning worked for decades in a management position at World Bank. He has consulted with governments and large organizations on their management strategies. He has written many books on business, as well as a novel and a volume of poetry.

Topics

Management & Leadership

The Age of Agile Book Summary Preview

Key Insights

Management expert Stephen Denning explains the origin of agile management practices, which came from developments in the organization of the U.S. Army in Iraq. Agile management was first adopted by the software industry, who were bogged down by the lack of flexibility in their management practices. In an uncertain and rapidly changing world, agile management leaves behind some of the core philosophies of traditional management to allow companies to move faster and focus on the future. Agile management allows a company to work more quickly and flexibly on short-term projects and focus on the customer.

Agile management began its life during the War in Iraq.

In 2003, General Stanley McChrystal was struggling with a perplexing problem in Iraq. The U.S. Army was highly trained and had better equipment, but could not defeat insurgents on the ground. His task force was, by all measurable accounts, the best it could be. And yet, they were losing to poorly armed, poorly trained terrorist militias.

But McChrystal was an acclaimed commander, and he wouldn’t sit down and accept defeat. He began to realize that despite being well-trained, his task force was not flexible enough to defeat a highly adaptable insurgent network. The task force waited for word from their distant commander before acting and missed opportunities because commands weren’t coming from someone on the ground. It was impossible to communicate well with the FBI and NSA, and none of the task force teams were working collaboratively. He realized that to defeat the insurgents, he would need to adapt some of their methods.

McChrystal’s agile management method focused on creating small collaborative teams. Decisions were made based on competence, not rank - someone close to the action didn’t need to wait anymore to make an important call. He put TVs and electronic communication at the forefront and had daily briefings to keep teams up to date. His new strategy formed the foundation of agile management - rather than a hierarchy, McChrystal created a network.

The basic principle of agile management is flexibility.

Meanwhile, tech and software companies were struggling with outdated management strategies. Technology changed daily, sometimes hourly, but out-dated management kept companies from embracing growth and change. On top of that, there was little room for flexibility. Companies could be put out of business because of their inadequate response to the rapidly shifting market.

Software companies looking to agile management to solve their problems. They created a network of small teams to focus on limited-scope projects. This meant better communication, more flexibility, and more opportunities for success.

Traditional managers, however, often struggle to implement agile management principles. Three main principles make up the foundation of agile management - by following these “laws,” traditional managers can shift their practices toward flexibility and agility.

The first principle of the Agile Manifesto is the “Law of the Small Team.”

In agile management, the small team is king. Teams should consist of seven to twelve people, and be cross-functional. Each team member should bring unique skills and areas of expertise. These teams should have the autonomy to...