Introduction – What makes or breaks a team?

Although we primarily associate the Agile concept with software developers, SCRUM masters, Product Owners, etc., this book is intended for any professional who works with other people, regardless of industry or sector. Here, we extend Agile beyond its software roots and explore it as a human-centric mindset—a way of thinking that can elevate any team’s effectiveness.

To answer the question “What makes or breaks a team?”, we should consider several variables such as individuals’ personality, motivation, mindset, goals, values, level of expertise, professional and personal experience, and education. 

Intuitively, we know there is a relationship between these variables and the performance of individuals in a group. People are exposed to group interaction from infancy: family, extended family, friends, classmates, teammates, etc. We gradually develop abilities to overcome and achieve whatever is presented in front of ourselves. Working with people to reach a goal is not uncommon. And in order to achieve some of these shared goals, we often need to rely on others and this is a challenge in itself. 

Individuals negotiate change in distinct ways. When confronted with the same type of transition, our responses can vary significantly. Frequently, change is viewed as a challenge—both professionally and personally. 

Generations of professionals come and go, leaving their mark on how individuals come together to achieve goals and how to overcome challenges. The workplace changed significantly over the last 3-4 decades, the main reasons being the fast-paced technological development, the natural rhythm of life and the continuous change that is inherent to it. If there is something that suffered little to no change is the fact that companies exist to make profit for their shareholders, and some of the fundamental values of humanity. 

The introduction’s question yields various answers. In the context of an effective team, we emphasize nine fundamental values that underpin effective teamwork:

Fundamental value	What is	Benefit	How to achieve
Respect	The consideration and appreciation of the needs, interests, opinions and feelings of others.	Build healthy and harmonious relationships with others, foster cooperation and understanding, and promote equality and justice.	Actively listen to others, treat people with kindness and courtesy, recognize and appreciate cultural and social differences, and be considerate of others’ opinions and feelings.
Honesty	The integrity and sincerity in people’s actions and relationships.	It helps people build trusting relationships and foster credibility and transparency in their social interactions.	Tell the truth at all times, take responsibility for one’s actions and decisions, do not lie or mislead others, respect confidentiality and privacy.
Solidarity	It is about collaboration and mutual support among people.	It helps people overcome adversity and face life’s challenges together.	Helping others in times of need, being empathetic and sympathetic to the struggles of others, working as a team to achieve common goals, and being an advocate for social justice and equality.
Responsibility	The ability to assume the consequences of one’s actions and decisions, and to take action to correct any mistakes or problems one may have caused.	It helps people develop a strong work ethic and become responsible and committed citizens.	Fulfilling one’s obligations and commitments, admitting mistakes and learning from them, taking action to correct any damage we have caused, and being a responsible and ethical leader.
Empathy	It is the ability to put oneself in the shoes of others and to understand their feelings and perspectives.	It helps people develop healthy and meaningful relationships with others, foster understanding and compassion, and build more inclusive and just communities.	Through active listening, asking open-ended questions, putting oneself in the other person’s shoes, validating others’ feelings, practicing in everyday situations, volunteering and reading literature/movies that explore different perspectives.
Gratitude	It is recognizing and valuing the positive things one has in life and expressing one’s appreciation for them.	It helps people develop a more positive and optimistic outlook on life, cultivate healthier and more meaningful relationships, and improve one’s emotional and mental well-being.	Expressing gratitude to the people around oneself, focusing on the positive things in life, remembering happy and rewarding moments, and finding ways to give back and contribute to one’s community.
Tolerance	It refers to accepting and respecting the differences of others, whether in terms of culture, religion, race, gender, sexual orientation, etc.	It helps people to foster inclusion and diversity, to overcome prejudice and discrimination, and to build more harmonious and equitable communities.	Learning about different cultures and perspectives, respecting the beliefs and opinions of others, avoiding stereotypes and discrimination, and promoting equality and social justice.
Generosity	Sharing and giving selflessly to others, whether in terms of time, money, resources.	It helps people to develop an attitude of service and collaboration with others, to foster compassion and empathy, and to contribute to the well-being of our community and society in general.	Donate to charities and charitable organizations, offer help and support to others, share one’s time and skills with those in need, and foster a culture of service and collaboration.
Self-discipline	It refers to the ability to control one’s actions and decisions, and to maintain a constant and consistent focus on one’s objectives and goals.	It helps people develop a strong work ethic and achieve success and well-being in their lives.	Setting clear goals and objectives, maintaining a schedule and calendar of activities, avoiding procrastination and distraction, and working hard and persevering in achieving one’s objectives.

Which one of the above values takes precedence and when? Are they interrelated and intertwined to a point where a distinction is no longer necessary, but their synergy is? Last but not the least, which one is the hardest to achieve and maintain? We will reference these values as we take a closer look at the characteristics of an effective team throughout this book.

Let us not forget about companies striving to generate profits. This, in my opinion, has the one of the biggest impacts on how employees interact, come together by bringing their individuality (qualities and flaws alike) and become an effective team. The higher an individual is in the employees’ hierarchy (and thus becoming more interested in achieving the financial goals), the more he/she will distance himself/herself from the daily challenges of a team. Pursuing financial results (i.e. profit) may not fully convey into teams becoming or being effective.  

And therein lies the dilemma: what should we throw in the mix to create an effective team?

A mindset is a specific set of beliefs and attitudes one holds about a particular situation or challenge. Regardless of our previous experiences, every time we enter a working environment we are faced with new situations and challenges. It is true that some of these experiences are transferable and help us shift our mindsets. Minds can be trained to become more flexible and can change with conscious effort and new experiences.

“Agile is a mindset defined by values, guided by principles and manifested through many different practices. ”Being” Agile is the correct way to implement Agile: it starts with internalizing the agile mindset, then using that understanding to select and implement the correct practices, tailoring them to different situations as needed.” – PMI-ACP Exam Prep (Chapter 1, page 24), Mike Griffiths.

Is the Agile Mindset part of the mix? Should we consider Agile Team Management as an alternative to existing traditional management styles?

Not in the least, the Agile Mindset (or the agile way of thinking) is not a matter of adopting some practices, we actually have to own and become the Agile Mindset and use it to guide our approach. 

More than ever, innovation is key and triggers new experiences. From industrial (results: products) to knowledge work (results: products and services), we benefit from innovation and use new/emerging technologies to accomplish work tasks. 

Industrial work	Knowledge work
Work is visible	Work is invisible
Work is stable	Work is changing
Emphasis is on running things	Emphasis is on changing things
More structure with fewer decisions	Less structure with more decisions
Focus on the right answers	Focus on the right questions
Define the task	Understand the task
Command and control	Give autonomy
Strict standards	Continuous innovation
Focus on quantity	Focus on quality
Measure performance to strict standards	Continuously learn and teach
Minimize cost of workers	Treat workers as assets, not as costs

One may notice that traditional team management offsets to the column on the left. The struggle is real: services (obtained through knowledge work) have been “industrialized” and sold as products primarily with profit in mind; subsequently, it only seemed natural to emulate the team management used in factories and perpetuate it in corporate workplaces.

A team which accomplishes (complex) knowledge work projects would not be fit for a rigid, corporate (industrial) team management style. To put it bluntly, a manager has to step out of the way, to let team members innovate, create, implement, fail, change, and repeat. All of these, and also keeping a practical (and pragmatic) stance. The manager should serve the team and its objectives, removing all obstacles preventing the team to achieve an infinite sustainable work rhythm.

Before attempting to instill an Agile Mindset and transform professionals into effective teams, we should answer the following: is it possible to disrupt the corporate mindset and enhance (replace) it with the Agile one?

We are directly influenced by the working environments we experience throughout our professional lives. Mindsets react and adjust to work-related challenges, shaped by our need to belong and be accepted by our peers. This creates both a challenge and an opportunity – while organizational cultures can reinforce traditional thinking, they can also be deliberately shifted when people see their contributions recognized and their values reflected in the team.

The questions raised in this introduction—and many more—will be explored through concepts, perspectives, and examples throughout the chapters ahead. The aim is not to prescribe one definitive answer, but to offer insights that help readers form their own understanding of what makes a team truly effective.

This work draws on two primary references: PMI-ACP Exam Prep by Mike Griffiths and Effective Leadership by Robert Lussier and Christopher Achua. Additional, specific references are cited as needed.