Agile Leader

This is a common topic. However worth discussing further to determine how it helps us to build our QA team in an Agile environment. What I experienced is that Agile demands situational leadership in a great deal. Agile team hardly needs managers where as it needs quality leaders. As defined in the definition, a small team cannot afford having many managers overlooking. In fact lot of managerial aspects of the team has been diluted by empowering the development team. 

The Agile team decides how they are being managed. That means team takes the ownership of the delivery and the quality of the delivery. End of the day that’s what all what we need. ‘Ownership’ is a key word in Agile as well as in a leader profile. That’s the main reason why we need leaders in Agile projects. Accountability, honesty, respect, courage, empowerment of your subordinates these are true qualities of a leader.

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I have witnessed that role of a designated project manager has become obsolete with the maturity of Agile model. However here the point is not that Agile does not need project managers or project management. The point is Agile makes their lives very easy. 

Let’s come back to the main topic. Who is real Agile leader?

For me, if I feel that I can freely work on the project, mistakes are not welcomed but mistakes converted to learnings, if I get rewards and recognition alone but getting the blames as a team, if you are continuously mentored, if you get feedback then and there, that means you are fortunate that you are working under a very good leader. Leader will work with you. Leader will face the problems together with you. Will share, in most of the cases will face the blames and problems while letting you to enjoy any recognitions alone. After sometime you will feel like you too have improved your leadership qualities.

Also, when you are working under a leader you will never hesitate to face any challenge or work under pressure. Because manager will look at your work from front but leader will be working with your beside. Therefore no matter what the work team is motivated to work and take any challenges.

Leadership is not merely technical ability, communication ability or any means of ability. It’s a human quality that you understand we all are unique and are different. It will not be in a certificate but it will earn you lot of respect in the community.

The people who have changed the world are Leaders, but who managed the change was managers. However I think in Agile, you can have a team without a manager or with very minimal supervision.