AGILE LEADERSHIP - A Method or a Mindset?

 What do you think motivates your employees to come to work every morning? Do you believe that your employees are satisfied and do their job to the best of their ability? Or do you believe that the activities are more of a burden and employees are simply working for their paychecks? These assumptions about your team members can have a significant impact on how you manage them.

You can motivate by fear, and you can motivate by reward. But both those methods are only temporary. The only lasting thing is self motivation. — Homer Rice

In the 1960s, social psychologist Douglas McGregor developed two opposing theories to explain how managers’ beliefs about employee motivation can affect leadership style. He referred to these as Theory X and Theory Y. Today, these theories are still relevant to understanding or changing different leadership styles.

Theory X describes a traditional, authoritarian leadership style. According to McGregor, if you believe your team members don’t like their work and are not very motivated, you are more likely to use an authoritarian leadership style. This approach involves micromanaging employees to continuously ensure that work is done properly.

In contrast, Theory Y describes a participative and agile leadership style. If you believe that employees take pride in their work and view it as a positive challenge, they are more likely to lead using Agile management principles. Managers who use this approach trust that employees can take responsibility for their work and consequently do it effectively and independently. 

Will managers then become redundant with agile teams?

No, they definitely won’t! It is very important to understand that the way of leadership style is redefined in agile frameworks. It is about breaking hierarchical structures and moving away from authoritarian leadership to a participative collaboration culture. 

It is also important to understand that intrinsic motivation is far more effective than extrinsic motivation. Agile leadership must promote the 'Feedback Culture', which is honest, open and 360 degree. 

Image courtesy to Wikipedia.