In the age of AI, our greatest potential lies not in automation, but in our uniquely human qualities.
For the past two decades, I have guided teams and organizations in unlocking their deepest human potential—reaching beyond merely self-organizing, toward genuinely transformative teamwork.
Many Scrum teams have mastered the basics, becoming self-organized, yet find themselves facing an invisible inner barrier. To truly evolve, these teams must transcend internal limitations and forge meaningful relationships with stakeholders, delivering outcomes that genuinely resonate with customer value. The result: powerful, high-value product increments.
Common inner barriers faced by these advanced Scrum Teams include:
Earning authentic trust from leadership.
Collaborating directly with end users, beyond intermediary stakeholders.
Taking full accountability for the entire value chain.
Receiving facilitation from leaders who empower genuine team accountability.
I have witnessed teams across industries—from technology and finance to insurance and government—achieve this remarkable level of maturity.
How to bridge the gap
To get past the inner barriers of a team, a high level of trust and psychological safety is necessary. We need to reconcile differences between leadership and teams. Crossing this chasm needs personal growth on the side of each member of the Scrum Team and on the side of leadership. Giving a Vote of confidence in advanceis the hardest part. It might lead to disappointment. Then a fresh injection of trust is required. We call it anti-fragile.
As artificial intelligence assumes more routine tasks, even complex coding, we stand at the threshold of the era of machine superintelligence. Now, more than ever, is the moment to harness our uniquely human strengths: empathy, collaboration, and coherence, to create meaningful outcomes deeply valued by users and communities alike.