bc 4disciplinesI take special note when I come across sources outside of the agile community that unwittingly promote agile principles and practices. First, it gives further credence to the topic, and second (and more importantly) it puts the topic in a different context and vocabulary that may better resonate with broader audiences. Such a source is The 4 Disciplines of Execution. While authors Chris McChesney, Sean Covey, and Jim Huling would not put their work in the context of agile principles and values, it is pretty easy to make the association.

  • Focus on the Wildly Important
  • Act on the Lead Measures
  • Keep a Compelling Scoreboard
  • Create a Cadence of Accountability

Sound familiar? Take a look at the 12 agile principles defined in the Agile Manifesto, or read through the Scrum Guide and see what associations you can make to these four disciplines. The book is a straightforward, information packed read that can help us all better understand whyagility promotes the principles it does.