Scaling Agile Through Leadership-Driven Transformation

40+ Managers Trained | 15+ Teams Impacted | 18-Month Train-the-Trainer Program Leading to Sustainable Agile Adoption

In a global enterprise software development company operating across 80+ countries with over 7,000 employees, localized Agile transformation efforts began with a bold experiment—focusing on leadership as the primary enabler of change.

The Sri Lanka division partnered with BAT to roll out a 1.5-year Agile transformation program centered around a Train-the-Trainer model. Over 40 program managers and software engineering managers participated in an intensive, phased learning experience. These sessions included hands-on training on Agile fundamentals, Scrum, Kanban, team dynamics, facilitation techniques, and change leadership strategies.

Following each learning sprint, participants were tasked with applying their insights in real time within their own teams, operating in a “sandbox” environment. This safe-to-fail, learn-by-doing model empowered managers to experiment with practices such as Agile events, radiators, backlog refinement, and team role alignment—adjusting based on context and team maturity.

What made this transformation unique was the culture of shared learning it cultivated. Managers regularly came together to present their implementations, reflect on lessons learned, and refine their approaches through peer feedback. This collective learning approach not only built stronger internal capability but also inspired cross-team collaboration and innovation.

The outcome? Agile practices were meaningfully embedded in 15+ teams with different needs and dynamics, and the transformation continued to grow organically beyond the initial cohort—proving that when leadership learns, teams transform.