1. Individual Motivation

The discipline required for change starts with personal motivation. Help people connect the Scrum Values to their personal values. Explore the behavior they invoke and how that is helpful—or not. Discover which practices of working with Scrum are disliked and experiment to tackle the discontent. The trigger you are looking for is the people taking ownership of the change.

True budo cannot be seen in technique, but in the way we live.

Marco Borst

2. Individual Ability

People can build on their motivation to do something to learn how to do it. Judo promotes two techniques for learning: the kata (controlled technique training) and the randori (training the technique in a realistic setting). In business, people are often sent to a training (kata) but are then required to apply new techniques in the old environment without realistic practice (impeding randori).

For new behavior to take root, techniques must be trained in a realistic way. Make sure that what you have learned is mastered in a way that it stands up to reality.

3. Team Motivation

We all have a deeply felt desire to be accepted, respected, and connected to other human beings. That works great within a Scrum Team. But Scrum is not something that happens only at the team level—it needs to be embodied by the entire organization. Human connections, therefore, prevail. A raised eyebrow, a curled lip, or a small shake of the head can wield more influence than town hall speeches.

4. Team Ability

As Scrum becomes the new state of the organization, it makes no sense to tell teams how to execute it. Engage teams for the impact they can create to gain buy-in and create collaboration. More importantly, teams are likely to collectively develop better solutions than a single individual can.

Co-create the “how” of the plan, but be firm on the change itself, and create a “safe” way for teams to get help without feeling embarrassed.

5. Systematic Motivation

Influence behavior by focusing on the non-human factors that support what you value. For example, if you value autonomy, what decisions will you no longer take and delegate or empower others to take? How are the formal rewards and incentives supporting or discouraging such new behaviors?

6. Systematic Ability

If you want teams to actually work together, then make sure they can sit together. If they need to learn from each other, make sure they have the room for that. If they don’t understand the impact of their product, make it easier for them to talk to customers. Changing “things” to achieve the behavior we want is much easier than changing people.

Focus, young Padawan, focus.

Yoda

The second founding principle of judo is seiryoku zenyo. This means “maximum efficient use of energy.” Ask yourself the question, “If everyone just did this one thing, would the rest fall into place?” It’s easier said than done and won’t happen overnight. Conduct experiments (small or large) to see what works, what doesn’t, and change how you work as you go.