Exclusive Trusted Magazine Q&A with Tom Siebeneicher, Agile Transformation Leader & Principal Transformation Consultant.
How could you describe your career path in a few words?
My career path can be described as a dynamic journey of leading organizational transformation and driving operational excellence across various industries. Over the past 20 years, I have honed my expertise in agile methodologies, change management, and operational strategy, working on large-scale projects across continents. My background includes substantial experience in the pharmaceutical and aviation industries, where I’ve led transformations that reshaped work cultures and significantly enhanced performance. Currently, as Principal Transformation Consultant at Xebia, I focus on reshaping the future of work through innovative strategies that drive agility and continuous improvement. My approach emphasizes fostering a culture that embraces change, collaboration, and iterative learning. These experiences have been instrumental in building an agile mindset that enables organizations to adapt and thrive in an ever-evolving business landscape.
How do you think agile practices have transformed companies over the past two years?
Agile practices have profoundly transformed companies over the past two years by allowing them to respond faster to market changes and shifting customer demands. Particularly in the wake of global disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic, agile methodologies empowered organizations to remain resilient and flexible. In my experience, agile has enhanced cross-functional collaboration, streamlined workflows, and accelerated value delivery, ultimately improving customer satisfaction. Teams that adopted agile methodologies have seen a significant reduction in lead times, enabling them to continuously deliver new features and improvements to their products and services. Agile’s iterative approach has been crucial for organizations navigating uncertainty, fostering innovation while simultaneously reducing risks. This transformation is not only operational but cultural, promoting a mindset that values adaptability, feedback, and continuous improvement, key aspects that have allowed organizations to pivot and stay competitive.
What successful cases of agile transformations have you had the opportunity to observe that have particularly stood out to you?
One of the most remarkable agile transformations I witnessed took place at a major pharmaceutical company where we successfully scaled agile practices across their global operations. The introduction of agile methodologies revolutionized their project delivery timelines, breaking down silos and fostering cross-functional collaboration. This led to greater innovation, faster delivery of critical projects, and increased employee engagement. Another transformation that stands out was my work with a leading aviation company, where we applied agile principles to their supply chain management. By implementing agile workflows, we optimized inventory processes, improved lead times, and realized significant cost savings, all while maintaining high levels of operational efficiency. These cases highlight the potential of agile when adopted across an organization, not only in terms of improved performance but also in cultivating a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.
Will agile practices continue to generate interest? What challenges do you see in the context of deploying these practices?
While agile practices will continue to flourish, the future focus will shift toward achieving organizational excellence and ensuring the ability to apply the right approach at the right moment. Organizations will increasingly recognize that agility is not just about adopting a set of practices but about developing a mindset of flexibility and adaptability. The key will be using agile principles as a toolkit, selecting the most suitable methodologies for the situation at hand and pivoting when necessary to meet new challenges. This approach allows for greater resilience and responsiveness to changing market conditions. The challenge lies in ensuring that leadership fosters a culture that embraces continuous learning and agility, while also being mindful of the need to balance structure with flexibility. Companies that succeed in building this adaptive capacity will be better positioned to thrive in a fast-evolving business environment, maintaining a competitive edge while navigating uncertainty with confidence.