Stressed About Agile? I Know Why
It seems that we’ve been working in Agile for ages now. Nevertheless, quite a few still feel uncomfortable with it. And I have a theory why.
Have you ever heard that according to science, novelty, unpredictability, sense of low control, and a threat to ego are the four biggest stressors in humans? This is exactly what a researcher of human stress Dr Sonia Lupien emphasises in her book Well Stressed: Manage Stress Before It Turns Toxic (highly recommended!). She states that any of these stressors will create a biological stress response in the human body. Let’s check if any of this matter in the context of Agile.
Dealing with unknown and novelty
Agile makes you act on things that are not 100% known. There is no concrete plan for all possible hurdles or scenarios when we talk about building things that are yet not existing. Or the ones that we are not familiar with. It’s unsafe. How would anyone feel comfortable with that?
Moreover, Agile wants us to experiment with all these unknowns. That means also, oh dear, ‘failing fast’ and accepting all possible consequences, including shame if things don’t work out. Wouldn’t we feel more secure if we could just stick to the old ways that we know?
Dealing with constantly changing requirements
What the hell is that? Can’t you just decide on something and stick to that? Well…not. Not in this extremely dynamic, fast, disruptive world.
It is so natural and usual for people to look and strive for persistence and predictability. To understand and know fundamental, predictable things. Thus, it’s hard to accept the fact that everything might change at any second. Or that the project that you have been working on for the last 5 years is not needed, not relevant anymore. It’s just so frustrating!
On the other hands, it’s not less frustrating when software becomes outdated before even being released. Or brings no value at all (or anymore) as it got stuck to initial requirements or was released too late to be relevant.
Dealing with individuals and interactions
Even more unpredictability comes with people.
Talking to people is often considered as not the most efficient way of spending time. Especially for the programmers. Stakeholders are often considered as the ones bringing chaos — too many too different requirements, complaints, questions. Or in general, too many emotions in such a rational programming world. So why would anyone like the process where the live interactions might only complicate things? Especially, handling complicated relationships, oh dear (!), face to face?
Dealing with incomplete products
The first iterations or MVPs are by definition not perfect. And when you let people use or test it immediately — you might guess that the feedback will not be the one that you would love to hear. Usually, it’s something like ‘it’s a great idea, but this…and this…and that…does not work, I cannot use this…and this…and that…’. It’s not really inspiring and could be even demotivating even though you know that it’s just an MVP! We all naturally (were taught to?) strive for the best or exceptional performance evaluation from the very first attempts. Why should anyone want to get an average grade even if it is not final yet? Could be a pretty hard challenge for our egos.
Dealing with self-organised teams or losing control
One more challenge for egos could come with teamwork and team management.
Agile strives to build projects around motivated individuals and self-driven teams. Self-driven means that no one else than the team itself can control or call for accountability. This is an unseen loss of control and disarmament at the managerial level. Losing importance is tough. Not to mention the fact, that to provide the team with a safe environment for experimentation and growth, also, trust them to get the job done is not that easy job as it looks like.
On the other hand, some people or teams still like the feeling that someone knows what we are doing and will prevent them from making mistakes. So, this is often mutual un-comfortability — from managerial and teams’ perspective. Moreover, to resist that pressure ‘you have to know everything as you are the manager’ is something that not everyone can take to the full scope.
Reflecting on what went wrong
One more uncomfortable part of Agile is to reflect regularly on the things that went wrong (ok, to be fair, also to celebrate achievements). To find, reflect on, discuss, admit and act on own or team’s failures is not such an easy or pleasant thing to do. Quite often people have difficulties doing at least one of these things. No one wants to talk about failures, usually, people want to forget them ASAP and move forward. Instead, in Agile we are trying to learn, accept and welcome failures, as long as we learn something from them.
So, once again, why people might not feel comfortable with Agile?
To sum up, Agile faces us towards all the most stressful things for humans. It brings us in the middle of 21st-century chaos with constantly changing environment, unpredictability, emerging, disruptive technologies, globalisation, crazy speed, new generations, YOLO, new demands and expectations, new products, new ways of working, shopping, even finding love! You name it! Moreover, Agile forces us also to accept and welcome failures, handle complicated relationships and at the same time challenges our ego on daily basis. Sounds a bit stressful, no?
But I have good news for you. Dr Lupian says that:
a situation is stressful only if we interpret it as being novel, unpredictable, threatening to our ego or outside our sense of control. If you change your interpretation, you can prevent a stress response that could be harmful in the long term.
So here comes my interpretation of Agile. In my humble opinion, Agile methodology does not threaten us, but on the contrary — teaches us how to survive in this scary, demanding VUCA world. How to live and plan with all unknowns, strive for lots of small victories rather than one big (if it comes). It encourages us to value relationships and personal interaction, experiment, adapt to constant change, reflect regularly and celebrate all experiences — good and bad ones. And most of all — embrace and respond to changes without hesitation and biases, only with curiosity and willingness to learn. So brace yourself and enjoy the journey!
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