Management 4.0, Release 3 of our Handbook for Agile Practices, contains the following new or revised chapters:

Agile Leadership 4.0 – Digital Network Intelligence

Summary: Digital communication is a key driver for changing industry dynamics. Information can be shared and collaboration can be organised in a much quicker and more effective manner than in traditional analogue culture. However, digital tools have the potential to store information and actions indefinitely, resulting in ever-lasting accountability. In addition, digital environments do not currently address how to build trust and how to convey emotions. Communication and collaboration in this environment takes place within a horizontal network with a reduced or non-existent hierarchy. This necessitates a game-changing management approach. But what is it that really enables these digital networks? Why do they so often break apart before being established and sustained? And how do leaders position themselves in these new business environments with free flow of information and self-organization? One major prerequisite for success lies in the hands of the management, who can proactively create the right framework for self-organised communication. The conditions for an Agile Management System, which enables Digital Network Intelligence, need to be defined, those involved need to be committed via strategic exercises, and digital networks have to be lived and experienced accordingly.

Key Terms: Digital Networks, Horizontal Communication, Agile Management Systems, Corporate Mindset, Governance, Network Intelligence, Enterprise Social Networks (ESN)

Scaled Agile Management 4.0

Summary: The scaling of an Organization, especially an Agile Organization, is characterized by first principles. Three scaling principles and the principle of self-organization allow a better understanding of organizational scaling and the characterisation of “off-the-shelf” scaling frameworks. Scaled Agile Management 4.0 integrates these insights into a meta-framework of agile scaling.

Key terms: Scaling, Sublinear Scaling, Linear Scaling, Superlinear Scaling, Team of Team, Agile Organization, Conventional Organization, Scaling Principles, Fractal, Invariant Ends, Impedance Match, Collective Mind Team Effect, Self-organization, Hierarchy Representation, Circle Representation, SAFe, LeSS, Holacracy, CCPM

Agile Transformation 4.0

Summary: Agile Transformation 4.0 is based on a four-phase cognitive PDCA Transformation. In contrast to changes and transitions, transformations accept fuzziness in all aspects. We outline the relationship to methods like Design Thinking or Theory U. The Theory of Transformation and its related interventions are based on recent scientific insights. We summarize the key characteristics of Agile Transformation 4.0 using a transformation example.    

Key Terms: Change, Transition, Transformation, Collective Mind, Learning Organization, Design Thinking, Theory U, Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), Dilts Pyramid, PDCA Cycle, Cognitive Bias, Tipping Point, Social Network, Social Contagion, True and False News, Theory of Change, Business Model Canvas, Governance

Learnings and Guidance for the Implementation of Agility

Summary: This chapters discusses a selection of potential “fuckups” that may occur when implementing agility in an organization. The fuckups and the aim for the sweet spot of agility, will hopefully provide a practical guidance during the move to agility.

Key Terms: Agility, Fuckups, Social Romanticism, Agile Dogmatism, Agile Scaling, Agile Governance

Interaction Patterns for the Digital Transformation

Summary: We will illustrate that the mindsets of individuals or the prevailing mindset of  a population or part of a population are sources of a communication marco-structure. Digitization is a context which modulates this macro-structure, resulting in digitization-specific interaction patterns. For the prevailing mindsets we propose four different Personality Archetypes with different interaction patterns. We outline potential intervention techniques for initiating a successful Digital Transformation. 

Key Terms: Digitization, Digital Transformation, Self-organization, Setting Parameter, Control Parameter, Order Parameter, Persona, Personality Archetype, Value-mem, Spiral Dynamics, Learning Level, Micro-tier, Macro-tier, Macro-structure