Agile Practices and Culture

Speaking of Agile Transitions, I often hear two kinds of hypotheses:

1. "We will have to change the culture here, to be able to introduce Agile practices."
2. "We will have to introduce agile practices here, to change our corporate culture."

Those statements are somehow opposed to each other. Sixty-four-dollar question: Which one is correct?

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Maybe a short look on Dilt's pyramid of personal change helps?:

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And the answer is (as always): None of them. It's somewhere in between!

Practices influence your culture and your culture defines largely, which practices you use. Both statements contain some truth, but both are not complete. If you want to change successfully, you will have to focus on changing practices and at the same time reinforce changing attitudes and cultures, thereby changing used practices...

See also:

• Agile - The Whole Story