So that companies become better and better: A look into the future

Picture of Barbara Wietasch

Barbara Wietasch

August 21, 2020

Both Scaled Agile Framework® (SAFe®) and Shared LeaderShift© provide important information and role descriptions that companies can use to restructure themselves and develop and expand their future viability. After the previous parts of the discussion between Barbara Wietasch (BWI) and Werner Siedl (WSI) and its application, this article concludes the interview series. Among other things, the following is about the continuous further development of SAFe® why and how training affects every single person in every company and on what basis the future viability of every company must be built.

To find out more about the frameworks themselves, read the previous parts of the interview:

Note from the TCI editorial teamBarbara Wietasch (TCI Partner) and Werner Siedl (Managing Partner of TCI) conducted the interview, which was originally published as a spotlight on "Führung Neu Denken: Der Shared LeaderShift© Podcast for companies in transition". To listen to the original interview, please find the stream here on SharedLeadershift.com.

How SAFe® Expertise from all over the world combined - Interview with Barbara Wietasch and Werner Siedl

Barbara Wietasch: Let's take a look at the future: Werner, what direction do you think SAFe® will continue to develop? You have already mentioned that there are innovations every year and that elements are constantly being adapted, for example the focus on the customer perspective through Design Thinking or also Customer Journeys. What do you think the further development will look like in the coming years, also in agile terms?

Werner Siedl: The Scaled Agile Framework® is already very, very extensive. In recent years, development has always been designed in such a way that specific topics have been worked out in detail. For example, two years ago, the topic was DevOps, i.e. development and operations, and how collaboration is organized here. That may sound simple, but when around 20 people work on this topic for six months and take a close look at how the whole thing can be optimized while integrating companies around the world, then you end up with proposals that you can only say: Wow. That's really well thought out.

At this point, it is also important to bear in mind that SAFe® They are world market leaders in all of these topics and are therefore growing more and more strongly, as they have a strong appeal to global experts in these areas. For example, last year they worked specifically on integrating change elements. They are also working with Don Reinertsen on which Lean-aspects and how they can be implemented. This means that they are always working with experts from all over the world, who they integrate into the further development, and new topics are constantly being incorporated into the framework.

Further training: If you stop getting better, you stop being good

WSI: Good examples of the many new topics are the area of employees and leadership or organizational agility. These were new elements that were introduced in the 2020 update with SAFe® 5.0 have been introduced. Of course, the dual operating system is also being developed further, as are all the commercial issues, for example with regard to budgeting. If the structure is rigid at this point, then it cannot work; this means that the entire commercial essence must also be included in the portfolio and integrated into an agile form and the lean-agile portfolio management must be brought to the table. So this is definitely an issue that will continue to develop.

Personally, I'm excited to see what innovations will come next; ultimately, it's impossible to predict. But there will be something for everyone, in whatever area. In fact, I'm always surprised myself when a new SAFe®-version is released, what it will look like. Of course, a new version is released every year, and for us agile coaches that always means the start of an important learning phase. I would estimate that we have to invest at least five days (!) a year in further training to keep up to date.

This scope of learning doesn't just affect us as consultants, but actually every single employee in the company, and every manager should also have this on their agenda: Continuous learning is part of it and it takes time to learn. My motto is always: if you stop getting better, you stop being good. For me, that's a very nice thing because I have an inner drive and am very curious. I always learn quite a lot and I always realize how important that is - because it's simply infectious. In my opinion, this is an essential aspect of all art, a create a suitable environment. And you can also do this with the Shared LeaderShift©-We need an environment in which people really enjoy themselves and live up to their potential, and then also have the opportunity to develop further and always try something new. That's what we need.

Future prospects for companies: Employees play an essential role

BWI: Exactly - and that brings us directly to our why. Or to put it another way: Why should we make the world and workplaces better, so that people enjoy going there and are happy to contribute? That is, of course, always the key question. Does SAFe® this purpose question too? And what about the question of why with SAFe® also in connection with the view into the future, what is your assessment?

WSI: That's a good question about the direction in which this is developing. The fundamental topic is customer orientation, but I believe that everyone has different philosophies at this point. Of course, I can't advocate SAFe® but my personal opinion is that the development of purpose is essential for holistic business agility. We haven't talked about that now, but essentially, of course, it's about survival for each individual company. If even Jeff Bezos saysthat Amazon will certainly cease to exist at some point - simply because the world is evolving - what does that mean for most companies? To deal with all of this and find out: What do I have to do to survive, to ensure that my company or my business thrives, that I can preserve jobs for my employees? This is also part of my personal motivation, if only because I myself experienced a lot of restructuring during my time at Siemens.

This also includes preparing people appropriately so that they have a job in the long term and ensuring that there is a match with the companies. That is always the basic idea behind it. However, I have to be honest and say that I like the customer and future orientation and this fundamental sense for employees in your approach much better (laughs). This is more employee-oriented, and my guiding principle is precisely that: If the employees are doing well, the company is doing well too. If, on the other hand, only the figures are good and the employees are not doing well, then that is not a sustainable concept. It really is essential to ensure that employees flourish, and that also shapes the company as a whole. Because only satisfied and enthusiastic employees can also inspire an end customer. Without this foundation, it will be difficult.

BWI: I can only agree with that. Werner, many, many thanks for our conversation and this wonderful rounding off at the end, and of course for this bracket between Shared LeaderShift© and SAFe®. Thank you for the great interview! We hope that we have provided a few tidbits of thought and helped to spin these ideas further in your heads so that the change in the organizations succeeds. Many, many thanks.

WSI: Barbara, with pleasure. Thank you very much for inviting me and thank you for the interview.

Read on and get new food for thought

This was the final part four of the interview with Barbara Wietasch and Werner Siedl. You are welcome to continue reading, here you will find some recommendations:

More interesting articles on this topic:

(Cover image: © ASDF | Adobe Stock)

About the author

Picture of Barbara Wietasch

Barbara Wietasch

Barbara Wietasch, personnel and organizational developer, supports people, teams and organizations in change as a coach, trainer and consultant. On the journey to "New Work", she sees herself as a bridge builder on various levels.

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