‍This is a fictional story from a CxO-level executive about their company’s agile transformation. The story is based on the experiences of a consultant who has worked hands-on in numerous change initiatives. It serves as a summary of key lessons learned, successes, and pitfalls that should be considered when planning a transformation.

Agile Transformation: A CxO’s lessons from our journey

When our company set out to embrace agility, we expected a major boost in innovation and productivity. We were convinced that agility was both inevitable and necessary. However, we soon realized that the transformation itself was not simple. Here are the key lessons we learned along the way.

1. Leadership must stay involved

At first, we assumed that agility would emerge naturally if we allocated enough resources and supported it with skilled professionals. We quickly learned that without continuous leadership involvement, the transformation would end up being just a set of new rules without real impact. We had to actively lead the change instead of merely delegating it.

2. Defining value streams requires time and courage

In the beginning, we rushed in our definition of value streams, only to later realize that we had merely reorganized our old structures with new terminology. This prevented real improvements in value creation. We had to take a step back, challenge our assumptions, and redefine our value streams boldly—without being constrained by our existing organizational reality.

3. Focus is essential to make room for the change

Without careful prioritization, agility simply revealed the problems we already had: too many simultaneous initiatives and unclear priorities. We had to make the difficult decisions to stop certain projects in order to create space for real change in the way we work.

4. Structure and discipline are part of freedom

Initially, we gave too much freedom without clear boundaries or a firm, consistent direction. This did not lead to agility but rather to confusion and partial chaos. We learned that agility is not about abandoning structures but continuously improving them. Discipline, guidance, and clear expectations are prerequisites for true flexibility.

5. Organizational politics and emotions must be addressed proactively

Change created uncertainty for many, as it exposed inefficient structures, redundant roles, and outdated responsibilities—even at the leadership level. We realized that without proactive, open discussions, careful planning, and empathetic change management, resistance would significantly slow down progress.

6. Continuous improvement doesn’t happen automatically

Although we officially encouraged continuous improvement, we initially overlooked the fact that it requires structure, clear incentives, and firm expectations. A culture of improvement is of utmost importance in staying competitive and it does not emerge just by hoping for it—it needs dedicated time and systematic support.

7. Leadership must be part of the PDCA cycle

Like many organizations, we initially had a habit of evaluating only final results while neglecting interim progress and continuous learning. Once leadership started actively participating in iterative development cycles, the whole organization became more engaged in listening to customer feedback and adapting quickly.

8. Change happens through emotions

To truly drive agility, we had to create space for people to express their emotions. Rational communication alone was not enough—people needed to voice their concerns and feel that they were part of the transformation. Once we made room for this process, commitment and engagement improved.

In hindsight, starting from this angle would have significantly accelerated everyone’s onboarding to the change.

9. The ROI of communication

When people regularly meet in person across organizational silos, something happens that digital communication alone cannot replicate. Face-to-face discussions, spontaneous idea exchanges, and informal meetings build trust, improve collaboration, and speed up decision-making.

This is not just a matter of efficiency—it is a strategic investment that directly affects an organization’s agility and ability to navigate change. When people know each other better, they better understand how their work fits into the bigger picture, and silos start breaking down naturally. While these intangible benefits are hard to measure using traditional ROI calculations, their impact is seen in daily work: cooperation improves, decisions are made faster, and the organization becomes more responsive to change.

Case: Big Room planning

When we considered expanding the use of Big Room Planning sessions, the cost of the investment raised concerns. It was easy to calculate travel and time expenses, but harder to define how to justify the concrete value of bringing people physically together.

After the first sessions, it became clear that the benefits went far beyond the meeting agenda. Conversations in hallways and informal interactions laid the foundation for an entirely new way of working together. People were not just exchanging information—they were actually getting to know each other, understanding their roles in the bigger picture, and developing stronger collaboration models.

As a result, internal friction decreased, decision-making accelerated, and work coordination became smoother. After each session, our company’s agility improved—not just in terms of processes, but also in how people worked together.

This was not just an operational adjustment but a decision that permanently transformed our organizational culture.

Conclusion: real lessons, lasting change, and a future-proof organization

Becoming agile is not a quick, self-organizing “project”— it is a journey that demands patience, perseverance and active leadership. We had to understand that agility is not just a method but a deep cultural shift across the entire organization. Today, we are more agile than ever, but we recognize that the journey is ongoing. The world keeps moving, and we move with it—not just to keep up, but because staying in motion keeps us strong and sharp.