Thank you so much, Nizar, for the wonderful introduction!
Like Nizar said, let’s talk about cultivating transformations. I say cultivating because we are creating conditions—we’re not directing and forcing. Cultivating transformations means connecting the soulful and the practical. We need practical outcomes, but we need to achieve them in a soulful way. So, let’s talk about how we do that.
The Hypothesis
My hypothesis for you today is this: when agilists attend to the soul of an organization, we can make the world a better place. I truly believe that if we do all the wonderful things we do while attending to that soul, that’s where real value is created. Everyone in this conference is in a unique position to do just that.
Nizar already introduced me, but here’s something you might not know—I’m a mother of three (ages 13, 15, and 17). I’m passionate about workplaces that are soulful, productive, and fun. And I really do mean tangible financial outcomes alongside soulfulness—where we actually enjoy going to work and love what we do.
What We'll Cover
For the next 30–40 minutes, we’ll cover:
- What is soul in the first place?
- What is transformational leadership, and why is attending to soul part of our job?
- The three tenets of soul at work.
- How a transformational leader can enable soulfulness.
Defining Soul
I chose the word soul carefully, but we all have different ideas of what it means. Let’s start by looking at what happens when soul is absent.
Think of a time when your soul was crushed at work. If you’d like, put it in the chat. Most of us have had at least one of these moments—many of us have had multiple.
Now, let’s flip it—what is soul? Feel free to share in the chat, but I’ll define it for you:
Soul is the essence, the ethos, the spirit—the intangible quality of a person or organization.
We often talk about an individual’s soul being crushed at work, but sometimes an entire organization lacks soul. You can feel it immediately when you walk into a soulless workplace. The place feels dead. Soul is the life force, the power source that brings everything into existence.
Why Soul Matters for Outcomes
For far too long, we’ve treated soul and practical outcomes as separate things. But think about your soul-crushing moment—how did it impact your effectiveness? Your creativity? Your collaboration? Your ability to be productive? There’s a direct, practical impact when we have soul-crushing workplaces. Our goals and outcomes rely on that life force of soul, and we need to recognize its role in driving success.
Organizations as Living Systems
Organizations are living systems, not machines. Yet, for too long, we’ve treated them like machines. We even use machine-related terms—like “software factory.” But when organizations fail to function properly, we wonder why the machine keeps breaking. The truth is, it’s not a machine—it’s a living system.
Living systems are fueled by soul. Transformational leaders breathe life into organizations. That means attending to soul is part of a transformational leader’s job. It’s our role to fuel the human system that drives an organization forward.
What is a Transformational Leader?
A transformational leader is anyone who takes responsibility for changing their world. If you’re on this call, I assume you have taken responsibility for change in some way.
A transformational leader is:
- Part spiritual leader
- Part work manager
- Part inspirer
- Part community builder
If you do this work, you know it’s not just about teaching agile or prioritization. It’s about pulling people together, inspiring them, and helping them navigate emotional blockers. You’re a therapist, a coach, a change agent. It’s a tough job, because you’re pushing the status quo while still being judged by old standards.
Attending to Our Own Soul
Our first responsibility as transformational leaders is to attend to our own soul. You can’t give what you don’t have. We need resilience, self-awareness, grounding, and self-care. Every day, this work challenges our self-worth, our values, and our egos. It’s hard—but we’re called to it.
The Three Tenets of Soul at Work
Soul at work depends on three things:
- Power: The energy to make things happen—not having power over people, but enabling people’s power.
- Freedom: Decisions and actions that aren’t based in fear or threat.
- Connection: Developing deep, caring relationships with others—even at work.
Energy Leakage
When we don’t attend to soul, energy leaks out of the organization. Think about layoffs—when they happen, everyone spends time whispering in the hallways. Energy is lost to fear and distraction. This isn’t just an organizational issue—it happens on an individual level, too.
Five Steps to Inject Soul at Work
- Identify the soulful purpose. Why are we doing this in the first place?
- Identify what makes it soul-crushing. What’s broken?
- Locate the violation. Does it violate power, freedom, or connection?
- Identify tensions at play. What opposing forces are creating friction?
- Ask: What would it take? What changes would bring soul back into this process?
Example: Budget Planning
Budget planning is one of the most soulless processes in many organizations. Let’s apply our five steps:
- Soulful purpose: To invest smartly so the organization thrives.
- Why it’s soul-crushing: Budget loss, lack of control, endless process.
- Violations: Power (top-down control), Freedom (inflexible budgets), Connection (zero-sum competition).
- Tensions: Long-term vs. short-term, Spawning vs. shedding, Parts vs. whole.
- What would it take? Creative solutions to make budgeting more flexible, transparent, and connected.
Final Thoughts
Transformational leadership is about connecting the soulful and the practical. And as agile practitioners, we already do this! Daily stand-ups, retrospectives, and demos are all about fostering connection. The question is—can we do it even more?
If you’re interested in exploring this further, check out my book, which dives deeper into these ideas.
Thank you for being here, and for the work you do to cultivate soul in organizations!