Agile Thoughts

This entry is the third in a series of three, which describe the workshops I facilitated at Agile 2008.  The full description/original submission of this session can be seen on the Agile 2008 submissions board: Operating on the Creative Edge: Applying Improvisation Techniques in Agile. 

This was the second year at Agile that Jim York and I collaborated on an Improv-led session.  In our work as coaches and trainers we have found the improv mindset to be an essential tool for Scrum teams, moving them swiftly towards deep and productive collaboration, without fear.

The session has been written up for the Agile2008 site and is available to download as a PDF from here: Operating on the Creative Edge — PDF.  In the document we describe many (not all) of the exercises we ran, and describe briefly the purpose of the work.

Both Jim and I have trained with the Improv artist and actor Matt Smith.  Here is an extract from Matt’s web site, where the parallels with what we are asking from Scrum team members can clearly be seen.

“I studied improvisation so that I could become funny on stage in front of people. What I learned from the training was quite different. I learned to: listen, honor, be accountable, be positive, move things forward, stay present, reincorporate, empathize, reflect.  And I learned to surrender: my agenda, negativity, judgment, control, anticipation, pre-determinate listening.  More than readying me for the stage, it improved my life!”

If you live on the NW coast of the USA I highly recommend you attend one of Matt’s workshops.  They are mind-altering.

_____________

A word of warning: although the PDF document may be of interest to many, it is highly advisable you do not attempt to run the exercises described unless you have yourself experienced them.  Words are too easy to misinterpret.  Only by being in these exercises can you truly comprehend them.  If you are interested in introducing these ideas to your organization contact Jim or me directly, or better yet contact Matt Smith.