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Home > Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast > Middle Management, The Forgotten Layer in Agile Transformations | Chris Sims
Podcast: Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast
Episode:

Middle Management, The Forgotten Layer in Agile Transformations | Chris Sims

Category: News & Politics
Duration: 00:17:46
Publish Date: 2025-04-23 10:05:00
Description: Chris Sims: Middle Management, The Forgotten Layer in Agile Transformations

Read the full Show Notes and search through the world's largest audio library on Agile and Scrum directly on the Scrum Master Toolbox Podcast website: http://bit.ly/SMTP_ShowNotes.

Chris Sims recounts his experience with a rapidly growing startup that decided to adopt Scrum to address slowing delivery. When a VP championed the initiative, Chris provided training that generated excitement at the team level. However, they overlooked a critical component: the middle management layer. As teams embraced Scrum, they found themselves caught between multiple sources of direction—their direct managers, project managers, and newly established Product Owners with backlogs. This created confusion as middle managers, who weren't included in the transformation discussions, continued operating in their traditional ways. The result was teams appearing busy yet delivering slowly. Chris emphasizes the importance of considering how management roles evolve during agile transformations, deliberately redefining job descriptions, and helping managers find ways to bring value in the new structure rather than undermining it unintentionally.

Self-reflection Question: In your organization's agile transformation, how are you addressing the needs and concerns of middle managers whose roles might be significantly impacted?

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