This document discusses practicing mindfulness in an agile environment. It defines mindfulness as maintaining awareness of one's thoughts, feelings, and surroundings in the present moment without judgment. It describes how companies like Google and Intel have implemented mindfulness programs that improved employee focus, well-being, and productivity. It argues that agile practices like iterations, responding to change, prioritization and conflict resolution can all be approached mindfully. It suggests mindfulness helps scrum masters keep teams focused on current commitments and helps all team members actively listen and engage in face-to-face meetings without distraction. The document concludes by encouraging readers to practice mindfulness techniques like meditation to enjoy their benefits in an agile work environment.

1. Practicing Mindfulness in an
Agile Environment
Muhammad Meghji
@agilenorthnts
https://www.meetup.com/Agile-Northants/
RSVP
Travis Perkins
Aug 22nd

2. 22nd August 2017
Practicing Mindfulness
in an Agile environment
By Muhammad Meghji

3. What is Mindfulness?
• Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of
our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding
environment.
• Mindfulness involves paying conscious attention to
• Our thoughts
• Our feelings
• Without judging them
• Accepting them for what they are
• When we practice mindfulness, our thoughts tune into what we’re
sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing the past or
imagining the future.

4. How does it work?

5. Who is using it?
“Search Inside Yourself” program since 2007
improving emotional intelligence, boosting
resilience to stress and improving mental focus
“Mindfulness programs” offered at HQ since 2006
improves employee focus, clarity and creativity
“Awake@Intel” program since 2012 participants reported
 a two-point decrease in stress
 a three-point increase in overall happiness and well-being
 a two-point increase in new ideas, insights, mental clarity
 a two point increase in engagement in meetings, projects,
and team efforts

6. Doing Agile vs Being Agile
• Doing Agile is about Practices. In Scrum…
• Daily stand-ups
• Sprint planning
• Sprint retrospectives
• Sprint demo / reviews
• Being Agile is about Consciousness.
• The mind set
• The culture
• How we relate to others
• Our values

7. Iterations are mindful…..
• Short and Focused
• Learning from past iterations
• Focusing on present iteration
• Planning future iterations
“At all stages, we are focusing on the present iteration”
why?

8. Responding to Change is mindful….
“can we respond to change mindfully?”
how?
• Being conscious of change to a user story?
• Being conscious to a change in the backlog?
• No you cant have it….but…
• When a team member falls ill…impacting delivery?
• Who needs to be informed?
• Who has a vested interest or say in change?

9. Prioritisation is mindful…
“Is backlog prioritisation mindful?”
how?
• Helping focus on what is important
• That which will give most value / ROI

10. Embracing Uncertainty is mindful…
• Waterfall fails because uncertainty is not tolerated
• But…we don’t always have the answers
• Rarely do plans go according to plan
• Accepting a level of uncertainty
• Then adjust accordingly when situation demands
“We cannot predict the future, but we can mindfully forecast it
with full acceptance that it might change”

11. Conflict resolution is mindful…
“Does mindfulness prevent conflict / difficult issues?”
no
• But when difficult issues do arise...they can be skilfully acknowledged,
held and responded to.
• Over time, we learn to develop the inner resources that will help us
navigate through difficult, trying, and stressful situations with more
ease, comfort, and grace.

12. Face to Face communications is mindful…
When was the last time you were in
a meeting?
• Who was contributing?
• What was the energy like?
• Was everyone in the room?
• Who had their head stuck in a laptop?
• Who is yawning?
• What is doing most of the talking?

13. Scrum Master is mindful…
• SM removes distractions that may impede teams work keeping focus
• SM is in constant collaboration with others. when the team begins to
wander away from present commitments….you pull then back into
focus.
• Always discussing new ideas and new ways of creating the best
solution
• Dealing with members of the team.
“A good Scrum Master cannot afford to be anything but
mindful”

14. Summary…
• Simply just noticing your mind is straying from focus and bringing it
back is mindfulness.
• When you are listening to someone and find yourself judging or
listening to respond you are not being mindful.
• Actively listening is being mindful.
“Be in the moment and do what you are doing without
distraction and enjoy the power of mindfulness”
Mindfulness is an imperative technique for being agile

15. You are mindful…
“How can you practice mindfulness in an
agile environment?”

16. 5 minute mindfulness meditation

17. 2017 Upcoming Events
Dec 19 Retrospective, Agile Games and Christmas Celebration
Sep 26 Product Mastery with Geoff WattsGeoff Watts
Oct 31 Psychology of Coaching with Kim MorganKim Morgan
Nov 28 Seven Lightning Talks by #AgileNorthants Members#AgileNorthants
• Waterfall in Agile Clothing by Craig Pears
• Limiting WIP in the Kitchen Sink by Lawrence Weetman
• Topic TBC by David Boyd
• Topic TBC by Mohammed Haroon
• Topic TBC by Wanda Hawkins
• Topic TBC by Darren Kingham
• Topic TBC by Luke Biddle