I haven’t thought of the Pareto Principle in quite a long time.  

It was a central theme to my 2004 Software Endgames book because of the implications of Pareto and software defects (trending, clustering, resolution, complexity, etc.) It was a rich and interesting way to view defects at the time. Still is.

Then I wrote a blog piece entitled Pareto and You – Separating the Wheat from the Chaff in 2013, where I explored the implications of Pareto beyond software testing and defects. At the time, I saw the principle as something that could potentially have broad implications beyond software and into life itself. That is, could we view it as something as reliable, consistent, and law-like as the law of gravity?

I had been thinking the answer to this was yes. That is, as long as we view it as a lens for guidance rather than a law that strongly drives our behavior, measurement, and reactions. Consider it a Pareto Compass that would guide you towards True North in your understanding of complexity.

We were chatting about agile coaching the other morning in the Moose Herd and the principal came up again. I mentioned it as a lens that an agile coach could leverage in their assessment of and navigation thru Agile & Digital Transformations. Afterward, I put on my brainstorming hat to envision scenarios in my agile coaching journey where I might be able to look at the world through a Pareto lens—

Pareto implications to Agile Coaching

  • 20% of the agile coaches, provide 80% of the positive impact (effectiveness).

  • 20% of the agile coaches, have 80% of the overall Transformation experience.

  • 20% of the agile coaches (or coaching firms) have the breadth of experience (stances) to navigate 80% of the organizational situational challenges.

  • 20% of agile coaches, earn 80% of the overall revenue opportunity (consulting model).

  • 20% of the agile coaches have the ethics, to ethically navigate 80% of their clients.

Pareto implications for today’s VUCA leaders

  • 20% of the initiatives that today’s leaders prioritize, provide 80% of the ROI or value.

  • 20% of the reasons for “going Agile” the “Why”, provide 80% of the impact value reality.

  • 20% of today’s leaders, understand 80% of the behavior changes they need to personally make during an agile transformation.

  • 20% of the leaders, will be able to make the personal transformation to deliver 80% of the requisite organizational leadership.

  • 20% of the leaders, have 80% of the self-awareness, humility, and vulnerability needed to lead in agile contexts.

Pareto implications for guiding an agile transformation

  • 20% of the Change Artists (leaders, coaches, etc.), will deliver 80% of the impact.

  • 80% of the leaders, will deliver 20% of the transformation results.

  • 80% of the transforming organizations, only 20% understand what that really entails (fundamental transformation).

  • 20% of the organization, will contain 80% of the transformation resistance & risk.

  • 20% of the transformation backlog, will take 80% of the time.

Wrapping Up

These were only examples to illustrate how a Pareto lens might be helpful in finding the critical focus and impact areas in your coaching. But, even more importantly, identify those:

  • People (teams, organizations, leaders)

  • Projects

  • Tools

  • Processes

  • Workflows

To ignore because the ROI of your coaching and change efforts is minimized. Remembering that the key to an agile transformation might be, just might be…

Finding the 20% of organizational “things” that will produce 80% of the value & impact delivered by the agile transformation.

Of course, the rub is, finding that 20%.

Stay agile my friends,

Bob.

BTW: If you can come up with other examples of Pareto in action, I’d love for you to comment on this post!

For example, 20% of the Agile Moose, provide 80% of the forest’s fertilizer ;-)

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