Quick Reference

Category	Item	Summary
Foundations of Agile Thinking	What Is an Agile Mindset?	Focuses on adaptability, collaboration, and continuous learning over rigid plans.
	Empiricism: Learning Through Doing	Knowledge emerges from observation, experience, and experimentation.
	Agile Values and Why They Matter	Core values like respect and courage guide behavior in uncertain environments.
	Principles Before Practices	Effective agility begins with mindset and values, not rituals.
	Systems Thinking & Agility	Sees teams and outcomes as part of interconnected systems.
	Navigating Uncertainty & Complexity	Embraces change by working iteratively within complex domains.
	Growth Mindset in Agile Teams	Believes abilities can improve through effort, feedback, and reflection.
Core Agile Mind Patterns	Bias Toward Action	Prefer doing and testing over endless analysis.
	Inspect Over Assume	Seek direct evidence instead of relying on assumptions.
	Focus on Value, Not Activity	Busy work is not progress; deliver customer outcomes.
	Value Over Volume	Deliver fewer, more meaningful things over lots of low-impact work.
	Embrace Change, Resist Rigidity	Change is not a threat - it's how we adapt and improve.
	Adaptation First	Tailor processes based on need rather than follow templates.
	Small Bets Mentality	Test ideas in small increments to manage risk and learn quickly.
	Systemic Curiosity	Ask how systems influence behavior - not just individuals.
	Inspect & Adapt Thinking	Treat everything as improvable; reflect and respond regularly.
	Learning Loop Thinking	Create short cycles for feedback, learning, and course correction.
	Trust Over Control	Empower teams instead of micromanaging outcomes.
	Psychological Safety as a Thought Pattern	Foster openness to admit risks, mistakes, and doubts.
	Transparency Reflex	Default to openness to align, collaborate, and build trust.
	Collaborative Ownership Mindset	Treat success and responsibility as shared across the team.
	Safe to Learn	Create space to try, fail, reflect, and grow.
	Progress Over Perfection	Deliver something valuable early, then improve.
Anti-Patterns of Agile Thinking	Control Reflex	Attempts to manage complexity through tighter control backfire.
	Command & Control Thinking	Leaders direct rather than support; innovation withers.
	Fear of Exposure	Hiding mistakes or gaps prevents learning and trust.
	Fear of Feedback	Avoiding input limits reflection, learning, and growth.
	Hiding Problems	Unseen issues cannot be fixed; visibility is essential.
	Fear of Failure	Avoiding failure blocks experimentation and growth.
	Learned Helplessness	When effort feels pointless, teams disengage and stop improving.
	Fixed Plan Addiction	Overcommitting to plans hinders adaptation.
	Obsession with Predictability	Valuing certainty over responsiveness leads to stagnation.
	Framework Worship	Treating methods as sacred blocks critical thinking.
	Activity Over Outcomes	Measuring effort instead of results derails purpose.
	Hero Culture Over Teamwork	Glorifies individual effort at the expense of team cohesion.
	Premature Optimization	Solving for scale before proving value wastes effort.
	Over-Engineering	Building beyond current needs delays feedback and invites rigidity.
	Over-Optimization	Chasing efficiency can make the system brittle.
Mindset Shifts in Agile Practice	From Plans to Hypotheses	Treat plans as testable ideas, not certainties.
	From Directing to Enabling	Leaders support growth rather than control delivery.
	From Roles to Capabilities	Value skills and contributions over job titles.
	From Fixed to Adaptive Thinking	Expect plans to evolve as new data emerges.
	From Individual Success to Team Success	Celebrate shared wins over solo heroics.
	From Outputs to Outcomes	Shift focus from what we build to the impact we create.
Reflective Practice & Mind Growth	The Agile Paradox	Balance control and adaptability to turn uncertainty into opportunity.
	Using Retrospectives for Mindset Shifts	Turn rituals into spaces for deeper self-awareness.
	Journaling & Personal Feedback Loops	Reflection accelerates personal and team development.
	Mental Models for Agile Coaches	Use patterns and analogies to guide thought and action.
	Sensing & Responding in Complex Systems	Adapt based on feedback from your environment.
	Reflection Rituals for Continuous Learning	Build rhythms for pausing, noticing, and adjusting.
Coaching Agile Mind Patterns	Teaching vs Modeling Mindsets	Your example speaks louder than your instruction.
	Recognizing Thinking Patterns in Teams	Identify mental habits shaping behavior and results.
	Coaching Questions That Spark Pattern Shifts	Ask questions that reveal blind spots and open new paths.
	Building Pattern Awareness, Not Compliance	Help teams see their thinking instead of enforcing rules.
	Creating Safe Spaces for Mindset Growth	Psychological safety unlocks deeper change.
	Coaching Systemic Thinking Over Local Fixes	Address patterns in the system, not just surface problems.