The agile mindset

Agile methodology is a flexible and iterative approach to software development that emphasises collaboration, adaptability and customer centricity. But to Mieke Storms, Agile Coach at the PVH Corp, it’s more than that -- it’s a fundamental mindset and enabler that lies at of the heart of great organisations. And it’s something that found her. 

There are three major aspects that set Mieke’s tech career into motion: her master’s degree in Persuasive Communication, a chance encounter with a CEO of a loyalty programme startup at a networking event, and an inherent drive to empower people by utilising their collaborative strengths. She had been working in an NGO environment that was hard-hit by the recession at that point, and consequently stepped into her first project manager role in an IT organisation. This is where she was introduced to an agile way of working – and the central focus on flexibility, collaboration, and adaptability sparked something in her. “The very nature of my studies in communication and at a hotel management school was to understand and serve customers, and that’s what the agile mindset is all about. Communication studies enabled me to really zoom in on the behaviour of people. Asking why people act in a certain way, and how one can effectively change people’s behaviour, is what laid the basis of my interest in pursuing agile roles,” she explains.

Bridging the gap

The value of agile was really cemented to Mieke as she navigated her next steps: first as a scrum master in a team that implemented loyalty programs for, among other things, fashion brands, and then as the service delivery manager within a consultancy environment, where she was responsible for the SAP service management contract between Ordina and ProRail. It was during her tenure at ProRail that she realised that one of the Agile Values, customer collaboration over contract negotiation, is key in delivering optimised value for clients. She started to incorporate more agile techniques and ways of working to overcome challenges and to promote transparency and visibility between the supplier and the client. Fast-forward to today, Mieke works in a compact team of agile coaches focusing on Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger at the PVH Corp, where she supports the Direct to Consumer and Value Chain domains.

A healthy ecosystem

Mieke’s day-to-day tasks as an agile coach for fashion can be dynamic and complex. “Everything is connected – logistics, supply chains, the retail landscape and the need to cater to a diverse set of customers and their preferences. As agile coaches, we need to ascertain how we can scale our workload and have a holistic view of the operations so we can help leadership set direction and bring stakeholders together to deliver customer value,” she explains. Luckily, Mieke is energised by this dynamic environment and she is constantly motivated to keep the ecosystem as healthy and transparent as possible for all key players and the 250 people in the tech department. “As an agile coach, it’s really important to continually ask yourself: what are the systemic and organisation-specific challenges and how can we improve collaboration? And on a personal level, I ask myself: how can I add the most value possible?” To younger women who are considering her line of work, she summarises the job description of an agile coach as follows: “I help teams at all levels, and the organisation, to deliver value by collaborating effectively and using everyone's talents. I help to achieve this by working side by side with teams and growing together – not by standing on the sidelines. When you can harness the strength of individuals and channel that into creating a strong collective team, that is where the magic happens.”

Going for gold

With the lightning speed at which new technologies are changing the industry, Mieke aspires to keep on top of the newest developments and the changing needs of customers. “Technology has the remarkable ability to answer to their needs in a unique way; for example, tech can help track and trace the origins of materials for a more conscious generation of shoppers who don’t want to support fast fashion trends.” To Mieke, the creation of learning organisations and the adoption of a growth mindset is critical in staying ahead of the curve in a fast-changing technology landscape. When reflecting on what lies at the heart of great and truly agile organisations, she adds that over and above the fact that that they need to leverage new technologies and manage change extraordinarily well, they should view their teams as their ‘gold’ – a highly prized commodity. It is within these teams where diversity and gender balance really bring fresh perspectives to the table that will ultimately drive innovation. “Truly agile organisations aspire to deliver value to answer to the consumer’s need in the fastest timeframe possible, while collecting and delivering feedback to continuously improve. And that, in a nutshell, is how agile organisations can stay ahead of the game.”

This article was originally published in the RightBrains DIGIDIVA Magazine. Check out this year's issue for more inspiration or to get involved!