Unlocking Agility: An Insider’s Guide to Agile Enterprise Transformation

Over the past decade, Jorgen Hesselberg has had an interesting view into some noteworthy agile adoptions (Spotify, Yahoo, Walmart, and many more). Not all of the adoptions were smooth, or even successful. From these first-hand experiences (as a practitioner), he is prepared to share what he has learned so that individuals at larger organizations can learn how best to navigate an agile adoption. Whether an organization favors LeSS, or SAFe, or any other method, Hesselberg can teach the reader to prepare for the transformation, and become an agent for a successful change.

Today’s enterprises see smaller, more nimble competitors devouring their businesses and obsoleting their markets at an ever-accelerating pace. “Sustainable” competitive advantages continue to shrink and disappear, as the average age of Fortune® 500 companies keeps declining. Smart executives know they must move from plan-driven, fixed-scope thinking to a discovery-driven approach characterized by learning, continuous improvement, and value delivery. They know they must learn how to capitalize on uncertainty, since it’s now utterly impossible to prevent it. Yet, very few large enterprises have truly succeeded in this agile transformation. Unlocking Agility: An Insider’s Guide to Agile Enterprise Transformation focuses on overcoming the real challenges that stand in their way.

Author Jorgen Hesselberg has spent 15+ years leading successful enterprise transformation initiatives: this book brings together all he’s learned about what works (and what doesn’t). Hesselberg answers crucial questions like:

• What’s the best way to start organizational change in large organizations?
• How can you sustain momentum beyond the initial “honeymoon”?
• How do you create an environment of continuous learning, employee empowerment, and product discovery -- while still executing superbly in day-to-day customer commitments?
• What’s the best role for external consultants and consulting firms?
• How do you lead coherent organizational change across multiple geographies, locations, and cultures?
• What organizational structures are likeliest to unlock lasting change, and how should these evolve over time?
• What type of organizational impact is realistic to expect?
• How can you measure success?

Replete with first-hand accounts from transformation leaders at companies including Cisco, HP, Spotify, Yahoo!, John Deere, Salesforce and Wal-Mart, the book provides indispensable practical insights for everyone seeking to build a truly agile enterprise.