7 things I do to run a successful Agile Squad

This is the second part of the Agile way of working. You can read my first post here.

Having run the prescribed Agile way for a few months, I got really frustrated with how we were running Agile. There was no agility. I changed a few things over time. So here are seven things I do as  PO. Ah and by the way, my squad is considered one of the most successful in my organisation, even though we don't do things the typical agile way. 

1. Fewer Ceremonies: Something about me. I don’t enjoy too many meetings. I have a short attention span and I find most meetings are a waste of time. With that backdrop, one of the first things I noticed was that Agile had many ceremonies (meetings), many of which I found a waste of the squad’s time. So here is what I changed. 
   
   As I mentioned in my previous post, I love the 15-minute daily stand-up. I wish I knew this in my earlier workplaces. Such an efficient way to quickly align on tasks and discuss blockers. And yes of course we have a 30min to one-hour planning meeting once per sprint. BUT we do far fewer retros. Traditional retrospectives can sometimes become sessions that focus on venting frustrations, unintentionally fostering negativity. While regularly gauging the team’s overall morale is essential, I’m not convinced that retrospectives are always the best format. Frequent retrospectives often lead to an overemphasis on issues, prompting people to recall concerns that might not otherwise come to mind. It’s a bit like being asked, "What’s wrong with your life?"—while you might have a couple of things, the more often you’re asked, the longer that list can seem. Informal get-togethers are better. I wish I did more of them but everytime we have had them, I have learnt more from them as opposed to the retros.
   
   And no Backlog Refinement: We skip formal backlog refinement sessions. Instead, we address prioritization and clarification needs during stand-ups and planning meetings, streamlining the process on a regular basis. 
   
   
2. Feedback. While there are fewer retros, there is regular feedback. This helps me and team members improve continuously without waiting for a formal session. 
   
   
3. Fewer Sprint Reviews: Unlike most POs, I avoid presenting in most sprint reviews. This keeps the focus on the team’s work rather than on me, and it fosters a sense of ownership among team members. They feel proud and happy presenting which is a great incentive. We also skip presenting in reviews where we have little to showcase. Sometimes its just a concise update in a slide and talk more about blockers. 
   
   
4. Keep Stakeholders Engaged: Stakeholder engagement is key to my mind. I make sure stakeholders are continuously informed and involved through regular updates and informal check-ins rather than relying solely on formal review meetings. Having said that, I avoid too much of feedback cause that slows us down. We are aware that nothing is perfect but we have chosen speed over perfection. We launch and course correct.
   
   
5. I Go After Money: I try to pick projects that can bring in revenue that can be attributed to my squad. Clear success metrics, and in this case revenue, means everyone is happy. Part of the reason we are seen as successful is the fact that we pick projects that can be measured and then we keep key stakeholders engaged. 
   
   
6. We pivot constantly: True Agile is about adaptability. We stay flexible often picking projects mid-way in a sprint and delivering it quickly. I don’t follow the agile dictate that a PBI should be Sprint ready. We will not even achieve half of what we do if we followed that, ha ha. Our Sprint goal list is usually longer than we can deliver in a sprint but that means we don’t stop if we are blocked. We move to something else while the blocker is being cleared. 
   
   
7. We focus on outcomes, not Processes: We prioritize delivering value over following processes. The goal is to produce tangible results that meet our objectives and satisfy our stakeholders. This also means we take risks. The decision is based on whether what we are doing is an improvement over the current state. And if it is, we go ahead even if we know there is a flaw, which we of course correct it over time. Point is we don’t wait for a perfect solution, Sprint readiness, endless discussions. We believe in phase wise, quick turnaround changes.

   By making these adjustments, we’ve managed to create a more streamlined and efficient Agile environment. It's not about following the Agile playbook to the letter, but about adapting it to fit the squad’s purpose.

    

Why am I not a big fan of Agile?

I was introduced to Agile few years ago. Having navigated some of the toughest markets and sectors, the Agile rhythm took me by surprise. I thought, "Alright, give it six months before passing judgment." After seeing agile close and from a distance, here’s the verdict. 

Now, if I’m generalizing and this doesn’t apply to how you run Agile, please share your tips so I can learn. If you’re reading further, I’m assuming you get Agile terminologies. If not, ask an AI tool. 

Agile has its perks. Regular rhythm, bi-weekly presentations, steady stream of deliverables, ceremonies, yada yada. Personally, I love the daily 15-minute stand-ups. They keep everyone on the same page. Plus, something that most people don’t realise, given its tightness, the stand-ups force us to be concise—no one has time for ramblers. My team sneers at marathon talkers. But those crisp updates? Love them! 

However, for me, the advantages seem to end there. Sure, Agile is a lifesaver for companies drowning in chaos and delays and those tech companies. But does it work for others? And is it a forever fix? Even in a chaotic setup, after a few quarters, you gotta ask: Should we pivot and transition away from conventional Agile to be more effective? As projects, teams, and organizations evolve, sticking to the same Agile playbook can backfire. Here’s why I am not a big fan of Agile:   

Everything is counted in sprints: Agile loves its sprints. Typically a two-week cycle to plan and execute tasks. Sounds good, right? Wrong. It’s maddening when colleagues talk in “next sprint” instead of “this Friday” or “coming Tuesday.” It leads to overestimation. Tasks that take 5-6 days get bloated into a sprint’s work. Agile thinks in two weeks. Miss this sprint? The next deadline isn’t two days later; it’s two weeks later. In high-stakes markets, we think in days, sometimes hours. Miss Tuesday? Sure, shit happens… how about Thursday?  

Too many ceremonies: Agile is bloated with ceremonies. Daily stand-ups? Great. Planning sessions? Necessary. But backlog refinement? Really? Why not combine it with stand-ups? And retros after each sprint? Humans need time to process what's going wrong or right (be it their project, organization, or their life...). A fortnight or two don’t always provide enough context. Conversely, if something’s off, fix it now, why wait for a retro? 

Performance and return are not always correlated: In Agile, there exists a role known as the Chapter Lead, a leader within a specific craft such as Design or DESL. This individual oversees members within their chapter, responsible for maintaining the excellence of their craft through continuous training, innovation, and governance. Additionally, they oversee the growth and compensation of their chapter members. On the other side, there's the Product Owner, tasked with achieving organizational objectives like revenue, ROI, or other metrics or creating products. Their team, or squad, consists of members from various chapters, pooled together to accomplish these goals. While squad members utilize their respective crafts to meet squad objectives and spend the majority of their time with the Product Owner, the latter doesn't play a role in or influence their professional development. For instance, a member of the Design team could excel in their craft but struggle with teamwork, meeting deadlines, or showing initiative. And yet take home a good raise at the end of the year as opposed to someone who contributed substantially to achieving organisational goals. 

Sprint reviews are a snooze fest: Preparing presentations every two weeks to a room full of glazed eyes? Kill me now. Why should anyone care about incremental shifts from Point A to B? I get why the audience claps robotically. Why spend hours making up a showcase of monumental progress when they’re mostly tiny steps from A to B from an organisational stand-point?  

So, what’s the solution? Stay tuned for the next post. Oh, and by the way, my squad consistently ranks top in deliveries and Agile maturity. I’m no expert, but I’ll share some secrets of how I run Agile.

NZ's trust economy maybe at risk

 

New Zealand is undergoing some serious demographic shifts. Last year, we saw about 170,000 net migrations: 50,000 people left, and 220,000 people arrived. For a country with around 5 million people, that's a significant bump of about 3-4%. Most of these new arrivals are heading straight for Auckland, perceived to be having more opportunities. This means Auckland is experiencing an even higher influx percentage-wise.

When I landed in New Zealand four years ago, I experienced a bit of a culture shock. I coined it the "trust economy" – a culture where honesty and transparency are the norm. People here are straightforward and reliable, whether they’re buying and selling on Trade Me or just keeping their word. Its common, for instance, for people to click a close-up photo of a chair that may have its paint chipped in a corner in a trade-me ad. At a recent company event, a director said he trusts everyone until they give him a reason not to. That pretty much nails the Kiwi ethos.

But here’s the thing: with more people coming in from outside, this trust dynamic is bound to shift. Different cultures have different takes on trust. It’s no secret that not all cultures might put transparency and honesty on the same pedestal as New Zealand does. I think it is a given here. As more Kiwis leave – we're talking 40,000 to 50,000 a year – and more migrants arrive, the country’s social fabric is likely to change. This rapid demographic transformation could challenge the existing levels of trust and transparency.

For instance, in India, it’s not uncommon to lie in business dealings or at school if you haven't finished your homework. Recently my architect was late for a meeting, which is very uncommon here as people are punctual. But he did not offer any excuse and just said that he was enjoying his lunch and suddenly realised that he was going to be late. Here in New Zealand, kids don’t lie about unfinished homework because it’s acceptable not to finish it – no reprimands. In India, though, the consequences can be harsh, creating an incentive to lie. I'm not judging which method is better, just pointing out that the stakes for honesty are different in different cultures. Perhaps if you are too honest, you may not survive in many of them. 

Anyways the question is, will this influx of diverse cultures disrupt New Zealand’s ‘trust economy’? It’s a delicate balance, and I’m keen to see how NZ will adapt to these changes over time.

AI is so Hyped…especially by CEOs

AI has become the shiny new toy in the business world. CEOs are throwing around the term and hoping it'll magically solve all the company’s (and their) problems. Those especially where the businesses are not doing well are using it even more to assuage the shareholders in investor calls… and market is indeed responding with share prices going up (Adobe, Meta, and Nvidia especially according to a report by WallStreetZen)

 

I remember when I was starting my career – back then MS Office was the buzz word. Everyone thought that it would reduce jobs (improve profits) and revolutionize the game. In just a few years every company had MS office and then Google products. MS Office did not become the MOAT. Cause everyone had it. I see AI going the same way.

 

I mean, sure, AI is cool. It can automate tasks, crunch numbers faster and make things a bit easier (and prettier). But will it single-handedly transform a struggling company into a powerhouse? Probably not. Will it be a differentiator? Probably not.

 

I think AI to be more of a leveler than a differentiator. Soon everyone will have access to it, whether it's through their own fancy AI system (bad idea for most) or just renting out some third-party software and adapting it for your business (From Open AI, Influencer, Anthropic to domain based such as Writer.com). So, in the end, it's not really a game-changer because everyone's playing with the same toys – yes some toys will be better – but not a differentiator as such to improve bottom-lines substantially.

 

Unless I am getting this wrong…

 

P.S. Ah and this was not written by AI – I tried it but it wrote "CEOs are throwing AI term like confetti at a parade" … Sorry, I don't write that pretty.😋

Global pitches may not be such a good idea - an article by me published in the BrandEquity on 7-7-2019

https://brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/marketing/why-global-pitches-are-not-a-good-idea/70112581

Many are the MNCs who work on the global pitch model. The selected agency, typically a global player, wins the mandate across multiple countries where the client has a presence. Now there are several reasons this isn’t the best of practices around:

The Client’s POV: The local agency in each country did not win the account. Rather the account was gifted to them by their global headquarters. The local agency therefore had limited or no contribution towards winning the business. Similarly, the local client SPOC had a limited role in the decision-making process since the same was implemented not at the regional, but at the global stakeholder level.

In such cases, ownership is low at both ends because representatives of neither agency nor clientele had skin in the game from the outset.

Another factor that becomes a challenge from the client’s perspective is that beyond a point, complacency seeps in since the agency knows that the mandate will not shift. The client thus ends up losing out not only by dint of their own actions, but oft by dint of their inaction.

The Agency’s POV: There are enough, and more instances of global clientele being serviced by agencies locally and successfully so. Suddenly, the global mandate changes and an agency that was doing some truly exceptional work loses out in favour of an agency that might not even understand the category. In such cases what really rankles is the amount of additional effort agencies put in, in order to make sure that the client is happy over and above the requirements of the mandate.

As importantly, what is the long-term incentive to service a MNC client religiously if one may lose the account all of a sudden owing to global calls?

Market POV – Local clientele understand their requirements, call for a local pitch and know which agency within the geography can handle it. Besides many other things evaluated at the pitch, as important is the inter-team connect. Global pitches don’t offer that chance. What they do bring to the table is transparency and uniformity of sorts. To achieve this, global can work with the local office to set criteria, standardise brief templates and perhaps introduce an evaluation process to make sure the choice is objective and process unbiased. Secondly, each country has its own good and not-so-good agencies. Bundling an account with just one player across continents does not allow one to optimise the best talent for the brand by geography. 

The decision should therefore be left as far as possible with the local client. After all, the world is moving to a hyperlocal approach and to, at this point of time, employ a cookie cutter approach would be hara kiri. Way better then, is the horses-for-courses approach, one that allows clientele to tap into the best servicing talent globally with the best local understanding to achieve the best results.

Agencies Fee or working Media - an article written by me published in IMPACT 31st March 2019 Issue

https://www.readwhere.com/read/2083116/Impact/volume15issue42#page/20/1

IPL or General Elections, an article by me that featured in ET Brand Equity on 16-01-2019

https://brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/marketing/picking-the-right-game/67543914

This summer marketers will be facing a dilemma on whether to go high on IPL or on the General Elections, both mega events likely in April and May of 2019. Not to mention the ICC World Cup that follows right after. Few years ago this would have been an issue only for those marketers targeting male audience (ACs for example) since cricket and news were both seen to be content driving male viewership. Two things have changed since. Both IPL and Election related programming have found 45% of their viewership coming from females. This is drawing many categories to these events. Further, joint decision making is happening in many purchases such as durables and auto drawing even more traction from other categories. As a marketer with limited budgets, what makes sense for you this year since both the mega events will be watched by your prospects? Will you go for the IPL or the General Elections?

What are the numbers saying?

Reach is one of the most important reasons why marketers take high impact properties and pay a premium. Recent five-state assembly election viewership data suggests that reach of News channels on counting day alone was better than combined reach of IPL’s three playoffs and the finale1. We looked back at the Karnataka elections in May 2018 to make sure it was not an aberration. The reach of counting day on leading Karnataka news channels was twice that of the entire Star bouquet matches for the IPL finals for the Karnataka market.  With the new TRAI pricing, reach of sports channels may take a hit while news is largely free to air. This, if it happens, will dent IPL reach further.

What about ratings and pricing? While average match rating of IPL was quite high compared to election programming on News channels, when we look at the CPRPs2 (cost per rating point), news channels score much better. Owing to low cost of inventory, they allow for high frequency plan as well. So if you have a message you want to hammer, General Elections may be the way to go.  Of course this is all TV. Digital will have its own nuance.

Qualitative parameters

IPL however offers other advantages. Coming from one publisher, it is just one deal you have to negotiate. Programs and telecast have finesse and consistency which allow you to plan your campaign well in advance. Planning a campaign around elections on the other hand can be haphazard. You may have to sign deals with multiple news channels across multiple languages. This may give you a good spread and help you do better market prioritisation, but will be a hassle nevertheless. Programming can be different in different markets and most importantly, as a brand, you may want to stay away from politics.

The eco-system

Let us now look at the eco system of viewers, trade, internal stakeholders and the marketplace. Viewers may be keener on elections as opposed to IPL as it is more participatory in nature since your vote counts and your fate, even if short term, is somewhat linked to the outcome of the elections. Or so you feel. IPL on the other hand happens every year and this year it may witness partial presence or complete absence of many international players owing to the upcoming ICC World Cup. It is also possible that part of the IPL is moved out of India owing to the elections leading to somewhat low interest levels from viewers.

If we look at trade (dealers, store owners etc), they are likely to be equally excited about both properties since the community is male dominated. The internal stakeholders however (management, sales team, employees etc) may be happier with IPL because of the pride and glamour associated with the property. 3

IPL content is proprietary and available with one publisher. It is therefore often seen as a seller’s market. Plus there are clear guidelines from BCCI on what is possible and what is not. News on the other hand is democratic. With so many news channels competing with each other, you are likely to get a deal of your choice with a lot thrown in as value-adds. You may also be allowed to do varied brand integrations and innovations during elections on news channels compared to IPL. 

Deep dives can tell you which one works for you and at what price. Which of the two you take finally depends on what your brand needs, what your customers and trade watch and how deep are your pockets. 

1 Common TG across all three sets - SEC AB 22+ MF. Election programming taken from 8AM to 5PM and 8PM to 11PM on respective days and IPL programming includes all IPL matches on respective days.

Set 1 (HSM markets): Counting Day and four Polling Days (5 days) of the five-state assembly elections held in Nov-Dec 2018 on 5 Hindi News and 3 English news channels compared with three IPL playoffs and IPL Finals (4 days) on All Star channels (All Sports, Star Plus, Jalsha, Gold, Pravah, Suvarna, Asianet etc). 

Set 2 (HSM markets): Fifteen days of programming until the counting day of the five-state assembly elections held in Nov-Dec 2018 on 5 Hindi News and 3 English news channels compared with last fifteen days of IPL 2018 concluding with the finals on all Star channels (All Sports, Star Plus, Jalsha, Gold, Pravah, Suvarna, Asianet etc).

Set 3 (Karnataka): Counting day of Karnataka elections on 3 Karnataka News channels and IPL 2018 Finals on Star Sports 1 and Start Sports Hindi for Karnataka market

Hindi News Channels considered: Aaj Tak, India TV, ABP News, Zee News, News 18 India

English News channels considered: Times Now, Republic TV, CNN News 18

Kannada News channels considered: TV 9 Kannada, Public TV, Suvarna News 24

2 Spatial Access Intelligence

3 From discussions with clients