(2025-07-29) Jeffries Enterprise Agility

Ron Jeffries on Enterprise Agility?? *I was asked what I think of the Agile Alliance’s plan to create a manifesto for Enterprise Agility.

Here’s the note that I received:

Jim Highsmith and Jon Kern just endorsed the effort by the Agile Alliance here at Agile 2025 to create a manifesto for Enterprise Agility.

Here is my immediate reply:

The Agile Alliance is now no more than an arm of PMI, whose focus is of course on large scale efforts, and whose thinking is pretty much still mired in the 20th century. In my view, the Agile Alliance lost the thread years ago anyway, so this is just more of the same drift.

Doubtless there is something valuable to an enterprise in being able to move and change swiftly

It is difficult to object to people trying to help.

However, in our present system of society, the “enterprise” is all too often an exploitative capitalist company, whose operation is fundamentally pro-capital to the detriment of the individual. I do not find it difficult to object to that kind of enterprise - the most common kind by far - and as such, I myself cannot personally support that kind of offering.

I fully believe that the gentlemen you mention, and most everyone involved, is of good heart, and just do not recognize the harm that improving “enterprise” is going to do in way too many cases. I prefer to believe that the people supporting this are not doing so cynically, “getting theirs” before it is too late.

Here are some further thoughts as of this morning:

For the PMI/AA to publish another “manifesto” can only serve to water down the original. Fine, if you must, come out with pronouncements, products, provisions for “Enterprise”, but don’t further foul up the intentions of the original Manifesto.

Besides, why not come up with something new and catchy and creative?

I entered the “Agile” movement on the side of the developers, and have remained there. It is certainly true that if we’re working in some enterprise, we have some duty to provide them with the best work we can.
In most large enterprises, there is a long way between the people who set the objectives and the people who are tasked to meet them. Will the PMI/AA be working diligently to close those gaps? Will “enterprise” respond to that advice if it is given? I have my doubts.

While I still have the capacity, I’ll continue to care many times more for the people than I do for the enterprise, even those few enterprises with truly high goals.