Dr. Tom Grant and Jim Trott discuss the implications of Lean and Agile software development for middle management. The role is changed, with different skills and behaviors required. Managers transition from being directive to enabling teams to be self-organizing. There are changes in performance evaluations, metrics, and power dynamics. They get into the team’s life “just enough” in order to be helpful.
Coaching middle managers in the transition to Lean-Agile is also different: helping them acquire new skills at just the right time, learning how to do retrospections. Tom suggests using “Serious Games” as a way to help this transition. He also discusses the influence of the various Agile frameworks on management and the transition to Lean-Agile.
