Video: Pete Behrens Presents Shaping Culture for Agile Ways of Working at Santander Agile Days
You Don't Need to Be the CEO to Shape Culture
In this talk at Santander Agile Days, presented with the Business Agility Institute (BAI), Pete Behrens tackles a question many change agents face: How can I make a difference when I'm not the CEO or business unit owner?
The answer might surprise you.
Leadership Is the Key to Business Agility
Research from BAI reveals that 60% of the characteristics that influence business agility are directly attributed to leadership—and the remaining 40% are highly influenced by leaders. Yet most organizations struggle because leadership development doesn't connect to agile transformation.
The result? Agile initiatives run into roadblocks, momentum dies, and teams revert to old ways of working. It's easier to change agile than to change the organization and its leaders.
Three Leaders Who Changed Culture Without Permission
Pete shares stories of leaders who shaped culture from the middle:
- Amanda: Changed nothing about Scrum but flipped sprint reviews upside down. Instead of presenting to users, users now use the product while teams watch and learn. She calls it the "reverse sprint review."
- Lars: Invented "flash swarms" to break research scientists out of their silos, bringing material scientists, computer scientists, and chemical scientists together to solve critical challenges in half-day to two-day intensive sessions.
- Travis: A middle manager who influenced not just his teams but the CEO and executive team—earning recognition as "the yeast that can leaven an entire loaf." (Learn more about Travis' story in our "Leading from the Middle" podcast episode with him.)
Hardware Without Software
Pete explains why focusing solely on systems and processes isn't enough. You can shape culture by changing a decision, a conversation, or a meeting—these are micro culture moments. Or you can work on macro culture through value streams and delivery systems. But without changing leadership mindsets and behaviors, frameworks become hardware without software.
The key insight: Organizations are human systems. If we don't change the humans, we don't change the organization.
His challenge to leaders? Don't wait for senior leadership. Be the Robin Hood of power—challenge those above you and empower those below. Start shaping culture today.
Watch the full session below:
Ready to Shape Culture in Your Organization?
Want to learn more about the research behind business agility? Check out the Business Agility Institute's library for in-depth reports and insights.
Ready to take the first steps toward shaping culture in your organization? Reach out to us for a free consultation and discover how leadership development can unlock business agility at every level.
