I was recently asked what in my experience was the most likely cause of gummed-up Agile transformations.  I didn’t hesitate in answering “the frozen middle.”  

Top-level management buys into a transformation because they hear faster, better, and more predictable. Teams buy in because it is simply more fun (I’m told “funner” isn’t really a word) and they get to build cool stuff. What about the folks between the teams and executive management? Middle management may be ill-prepared for what is needed from them in the course of a transformation. (more…)