Inner Core of Agile Results: Manifesto, Values, Principles, and Practices

“Agile Results is the art of navigating change, the science of making progress, and the craft of delivering meaningful results—all in the context of your values, your strengths, and your aspirations.” — JD Meier

My goal here is to capture and share Agile Results’ original essence—an inner core comprising the manifesto, values, principles, and practices.

The manifesto was inspired by what I was teaching across Microsoft in the early 2000s. Manifestos are meant to inspire, inform, and rally support for a cause, vision, or movement by outlining the core values and goals associated with it.

My approach with my Manifesto for Agile Results mirrors the powerful movement-starting approach that I learned from the creators of Agile Software Development’s manifesto.

The key thing I learned is that it was easier to inspire people if you outlined the values, the principles, and the practices. This way, people know how to participate in your movement.

Later, I learned even more about spreading ideas from the incredible book The Starfish and the Spider: The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations, by Ori Brafman and Rod Beckstrom.

The Starfish and the Spider explores the decentralized and leaderless nature of certain organizations and their unique ability to adapt and thrive in various environments.

And that’s exactly what I wanted for Agile Results. I wanted a productivity system that could adapt and thrive over time in various environments and cultures.

Why Agile Results: An Evergreen Empowerment System for Everyone

Agile Results was born out of deep pain. The stress of a high-pressure job with a lot on the line. Multiple, competing priorities. A lack of a way to integrate work and life.

And I wanted to grow better over time, not just get things done.

It’s the productivity system I wish I could have learned in school and it’s the productivity system I would somebody would have given me when I joined Microsoft.

I conceived Agile Results as an enduring empowerment system that catered to a diverse spectrum of individuals.

Sustainable Productivity + Personal Growth + Life Management

My vision was to craft a seamless amalgamation of proven practices to enhance sustainable productivity in all facets of life, from athletes to artists, learners to business leaders.

This approach integrated three crucial aspects—sustainable productivity, personal growth, and life management—into one adaptable framework.

Designed for Changed

The most important insight I learned about things that survive over time is that they have to be flexible.

And to achieve this, the most important thing I learned about any system is this:

Design for change.

By the time I created Agile Results, I had learned a lot about what lasts and what doesn’t.

Principles, Patterns, and Proven Practices for Productivity

I meticulously curated the system by drawing inspiration from timeless wisdom and time-tested productivity principles. I performed rigorous field testing to ensure its effectiveness across varied contexts, from individual solopreneurs, teams, or large global organizations, underpinning its evergreen universality.

I even tested with my Mom to help her organize her life and do projects around the house. I also tested with a number of restaurant owners, because I thought it would be a great way to give back locally.

And, of course, I used it as my approach to project management at Microsoft for multi-million-dollar projects around the world. It’s how I was on time, on budget, high impact for more than 10 years as a program manager.

What is Agile Results

This is the original storyline I used in the halls at Microsoft, intros at my presentations, and with people I met in various walks of life that were curious about Agile Results.

Agile Results is a simple productivity system for achieving meaningful results in work and life.

It’s a systematic and sustainable way to achieve both short- and long-term results that works for all aspects of your life.

Agile Results is an integrated set of values, principles and practices to bring out your greatest productivity in a whole person way.

The key to achieving great results in an ever-changing world is learning and responding to change. Existing methods of planning and goal setting are heavy and static, and they just aren’t working anymore.

Agile Results provides fresh starts for you day, week, month, and year, to get back on your horse, and version your results, while improving over time.

Bruce Lee’s Quote “Absorb What is Useful” Applied to Agile Results

When I designed Agile Results, one of the most important quotes that influenced my philosophy was Bruce Lee’s quote:

“Absorb what is useful, discard what is not, add what is uniquely your own.” — Bruce Lee

In the context of the Agile Results productivity system, this quote emphasizes the principle of continuous improvement and adaptation.

Just as Bruce Lee encouraged individuals to extract valuable techniques from various martial arts and create their own unique style, Agile Results encourages people to absorb effective practices, discard what doesn’t work, and customize their approach to productivity and personal growth.

It’s about being open to learning, adapting, and evolving based on what brings meaningful results to your work and life.

The Original Core of Agile Results

The original core of Agile Results was a holistic approach to productivity and personal growth, embodied in a manifesto, supported by 10 core values, 10 guiding principles, and 12 foundational practices.

This system aimed to create a simple, adaptable, and comprehensive approach that empowered individuals to unleash their full potential in both work and life.

It was designed to be growth-oriented, fostering continuous learning and development, while integrating insights from sports psychology and positive psychology to optimize sustainable productivity.

At its heart, Agile Results focused on cultivating better energy, which in turn led to better results, embracing the idea that achieving better performance required a holistic view of mind, body, emotions, and values.

Manifesto for Agile Results (Original Version)

Here it the original Manifesto for Agile Results…

Agile Results is a simple system for achieving meaningful results in work and life.

It’s a systematic and sustainable way to achieve both short- and long-term results that works for all aspects of your life.

Agile Results provides fresh starts for you day, week, month, and year, to get back on your horse, and version your results, while improving over time.

The Challenge

The current and emerging landscape is one of

“Always on.” We need a way to recharge.
Information overload. We need a better way to filter and parse useful insights and meaningful actions.
Shorter cycles of change. We need shorter learning loops and more effective ways to embrace and leverage change.
Longer work hours. We need smarter ways for better days. It’s not about time spent; it’s about experiences enjoyed and value created
Unpredictable future. We need a way to get unstuck from the way we’ve always done it and find our best way forward.
Reactive actions. We need to respond instead of reacting, and drive towards compelling outcomes.

The Response

Agile Results responds as follows:

Meaningful Results. Meaningful results over just doing tasks.
Fresh Starts. Fresh starts and clean slates over burdens and baggage.
Flexible Results. Flexible results in an ever-changing world.
Bias for Action. A bias for action over heavy planning.
Balance and Boundaries. Balance and boundaries over burnout.
Scenario-Based Results. Scenario-based results over just doing “stuff.”

The key is to embrace change and adopt a mindset of learning and growth.

10 Values of Agile Results (Original Values)

Here are the original 10 Values of Agile Results:

Action Over Analysis Paralysis
Approach Over Results
Energy Over Time
Focus Over Quantity
Progress Over Perfection
Growth-Mindset Over Fixed-Mindset
Outcomes Over Activities
Strengths Over Weaknesses
Routines Over Ad-Hoc
Value Up Over Backlog Burndown

I wanted the values of Agile Results to be actionable, so I worded them this way. In reality, I was working from a list of values that look more like this:

Adventure
Balance
Congruence
Continuous learning
Empowerment
Focus
Flexibility
Fulfillment
Growth
Passion
Simplicity
Sustainability

So the original values of Agile Results was my attempt to turn the value into an actionable and memorable idea. in hindsight, I probably could have figured out a better way. But the beauty is, the original values still work.

10 Principles of Agile Results (Original Principles)

Here are the original 10 principles of Agile Results:

80/20 Action
Change Your Approach
Continuous Learning
Flow Incremental Value
Less Is More
Factor Action from Reference
Set Boundaries.
Fix Time, Flex Scope
Rhythm of Results
Version Your Results

Looking back, it’s interesting to remember how many ideas were based on conversations I had walking people through how they could think about their productivity or system differently.

What really drove me was this idea of continuous learning while improvement, and, at the same time, embracing principles and proven practices that stood the test of time.

I especially embraced ideas that directly challenges or changed what wasn’t working in the productivity arena. I realized that sometimes it was not about sharing yet another way to solve a problem, but instead, home in on the deep problems and solve those at the core, so that I could eliminate multiple problems through a more strategic approach.

12 Practices of Agile Results (Original Practices)

Here are the original 12 Practices of Agile Results:

Action Lists
Daily Outcomes
Growth Mindset
Monthly Improvement Sprints
Monday Vision, Daily Outcomes, Friday Reflection
Reference Collections
Scannable Outcomes
Strong Week
The Rule of 3
Triage
Timebox Your Day
Weekly Outcomes

The practices continue to serve people well. But I’m not sure I got the language or the labels right, and definitely could have explained several ideas much better.

I wrote it early in the journey and focused on what the big changes or shifts that would help people the most.

To this day, any of these practices can be dramatically life changing for your productivity. I do realize that some of them need better explanations, than my original, sometimes more technical descriptions.

Empowerment That Transcends Time and Space

In seeking to encapsulate Agile Results’ original core, my aim is to crystallize the very essence that ignited its inception—the manifesto, values, principles, and practices that compose its foundation.

Inspired by my early Microsoft teachings, the manifesto reflects a timeless method of inspiring, informing, and rallying around a cause, much like the movement that birthed Agile Software Development’s manifesto.

My approach aligns with this wisdom—outlining values, principles, and practices to invite active participation.

I gained further enlightenment from “The Starfish and the Spider,” which emphasized adaptable leaderless organizations. This same adaptability was my aspiration for Agile Results—a system that thrives amidst various landscapes and cultures.

Agile Results emanated from personal struggle, a quest for holistic growth over merely completing tasks. Designed as a lifelong empowerment system, it brings together and harmonizes sustainable productivity, personal growth, and life management. This synthesis facilitates sustainable progress across diverse life dimensions, fostering adaptation and growth.

My journey into Agile Results saw me gravitating to wisdom that withstands time. Flexibility and adaptability emerged as keystones for enduring systems. My vision was to synthesize a universal framework incorporating proven practices. Through rigorous testing, I honed this approach for individuals, teams, and leaders of all levels, as well as professions of all kind.

It’s a productivity system beyond work…for life.

In essence, Agile Results is more than a system—it’s a philosophy, a way of life that pivots on absorbing value, discarding inefficacy, and weaving an individualized tapestry. This philosophy remains evergreen, offering empowerment that transcends time and circumstance.

Manifesto for Agile Results
10 Values of Agile Results
10 Principles of Agile Results
12 Practices of Agile Results