Characteristics of an agile team and how they foster collaboration and continuous delivery
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The current business environment is marked by uncertainty, constant innovation, and the pressure to respond quickly to change, and agile teams have become a fundamental component of modern organizations.
As McKinsey points out in a recent article, while traditional organizations are "mechanical, hierarchical, and linear," agile organizations are more "organic," capable of adapting to a changing and dynamic future. In this environment, agile teams represent a microstructure within the company that balances organizational stability with rapid response capacity.
Scrum.org, one of the most recognized sources on agile methodologies, establishes that for a Scrum team to be successful, it must be: cohesive, focused, cross-functional, self-managing, non-hierarchical, and accountable for continuously delivering value. These characteristics not only define the DNA of an agile team but also explain how these teams drive collaboration and achieve frequent value deliveries.
Next, we'll delve into the key characteristics of an agile team, drawing on recognized sources and academic studies, and explain how each contributes to a culture of collaboration and continuous delivery.
Characteristics of an agile team
1. Cohesion and trust: the foundation of collaboration
Cohesion is one of the fundamental pillars of agile teams. According to Scrum.org, a successful agile team should “work together as a collaborative team, fostering trust among its members.” Mutual trust allows team members to share information openly, ask for help when needed, and make decisions together without fear of judgment.
A study published in ResearchGate reinforces this idea by stating that “team members must be able to trust each other to complete work successfully.” Without this trust, collaboration becomes a forced task and the team loses its agility.
Cohesion is also fostered by regular dynamics such as retrospectives, which allow teams to review what worked and what didn't in a safe environment geared toward continuous improvement.
2. Focus on continuous value delivery
One of the most important characteristics of an agile team is its results-orientation. Scrum.org emphasizes that teams should be “focused on creating value and achieving the product objective.” This approach allows all team efforts to align toward a common goal: delivering useful solutions incrementally and sustainably.
The same ResearchGate study adds that an agile team “focuses on delivering work at a sustainable pace to deliver high-quality software.” This continuous delivery capability allows you to not only respond quickly to customer needs, but also to reduce risks, obtain early feedback, and iteratively improve the product.
3. Multifunctionality and self-organization
Another of the most recognized characteristics of an agile team is its cross-functional nature. That is, teams are made up of people with different skills and roles that allow them to complete tasks from start to finish without relying on external teams. According to Scrum.org, an agile team "consists of individuals with a common set ofor diverse in skills and experience.”
This diversity is complemented by the ability to self-organize. Instead of waiting for hierarchical instructions, the team collectively decides how to approach the work. “The team is cross-functional, self-organizing, and empowered, indicating that it has the trust of stakeholders,” notes the ResearchGate study.
This structure fosters collaboration because all members actively participate in planning, executing, and improving the work, which also promotes shared responsibility.
4. Servant leadership and agile values
A successful agile team does not rely on traditional leaders who give orders, but on figures who exercise servant leadership. This means that leaders focus on removing obstacles, facilitating communication, and empowering the team. As indicated ResearchGate, "members must exhibit servant leadership qualities," understanding that everyone can lead from their experience and commitment.
Furthermore, agile teams embrace the values and principles of the Agile Manifesto, such as collaboration over contract negotiation and responding to change over following a plan. These values create a work environment that prioritizes rapid value delivery and continuous improvement, fostering autonomy without losing sight of the common purpose.
5. Collective accountability and sustainability of pace
Unlike traditional teams where results are associated with individual leaders, agile teams operate under a principle of collective accountability. Scrum.org emphasizes that “the entire team is responsible for successfully creating a valuable and useful increment in each Sprint.”
This shared responsibility doesn't mean everyone does the same thing, but rather that everyone owns successes and failures as a group, which reinforces collaboration and intrinsic motivation.
Furthermore, agile teams are aware of their sustainable work pace. As the ResearchGate study explains, "team capacity and member support must be taken into account when executing work so that deadlines are met, rather than imposed." This approach prevents burnout and allows for a constant flow of deliveries without compromising quality or the health of the team.
6. Transparency and alignment with goals
Transparency is another fundamental quality in an agile team. Agile ceremonies such as daily stand-ups, Sprint reviews, and Kanban boards ensure that all members are aligned on the status of work, blockers, and next steps.
Furthermore, according to the ResearchGate study, “team members' work activities should reflect consistency and be aligned with team goals.” This alignment ensures that each person understands how their work contributes to the overall purpose, promoting intentional and effective collaboration.
Beyond the methodology, a cultural shift
Adopting an agile approach goes beyond implementing a methodology like Scrum or Kanban. It involves fostering an organizational culture where collaboration, autonomy, and continuous value delivery are part of everyday life. The characteristics of an agile team—cohesion, self-organization, cross-functionality, value focus, servant leadership, and shared responsibility—are key elements for achieving this transformation.
As McKinsey points out, agile organizations “balance stability with dynamism and can adapt to a changing and unpredictable future.” Agile teams not only enable faster execution, but also create more humane, resilient, and customer-centric work environments. They are, ultimately, the engine of organizational change in the digital age.
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