Modern aircraft design has resulted in pilots trading direct control of the aircraft for an increase in aerodynamic ability. The computer systems that act as the intermediary between the pilot and the plane to make this possible are known as fly-by-wire control systems.
As a result, modern airliners are more fuel-efficient because of wing designs that have exchanged less stability for reduced drag. Increased instability isn't an issue because computer systems can compensate, so smooth flight is still achieved. It's this same computer control that modern military fighter jets take advantage of to give them both their speed and maneuverability in the air.
Similarly, in software development, when we have the intention of making more software than we currently have the capacity for, we either scale up our activity or improve our speed to market, or both. The more complex our system becomes, the more subtle our system of control needs to be. We can no longer take direct control of such a complex system; instead, we have to let the system do most of the work for us.
If we combine Agile and Lean thinking, we can set up a system that gives more responsibility to the people within the system. We may feel this relinquishes more control than we'd probably like, but if we set up a system with the right control surfaces and the proper feedback, we will find that we have more maneuverability or greater speed in terms of our business objectives.
Also, now that we're no longer focused on the minutiae of making things happen, we can focus on the things that matter—seeking out business value, setting our purpose, identifying the mission, and giving our teams the support they need to complete their mission.
Once we get comfortable with flying our aircraft in this way, we will find that it allows us to do more than we were capable of before. It will open up new possibilities and give us control in a more meaningful, more responsive way. It will certainly allow us to push the envelope of our system with less likelihood of breaking it.