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Agile Leadership Principles and Practices

Agile Leadership Principles and Practices

This course is part of Agile Project Management Specialization

Instructor: John Johnson

Included with

Learn more

5 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Intermediate level

Some related experience required

8 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

5 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Intermediate level

Some related experience required

8 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Optimize contribution and performance across all roles of your Agile team with Agile Principles and Practices
Practice with real-world approaches and tools for managing and facilitating decisions, interactions, and environments for optimal team performance.
Develop an agile mindset—embrace transparency, adaptability, and continuous learning to create high-performing teams and navigate change

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

26 assignments

Taught in English

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Build your subject-matter expertise

This course is part of the Agile Project Management Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

Learn new concepts from industry experts
Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 5 modules in this course

Develop Agile Leadership skills. Master change management, evolve leadership theories, and Agile principles to drive collaboration, empower teams, and lead effectively in dynamic environments.

This Agile Leadership Principles course takes you from foundational leadership concepts to advanced agile practices. You’ll explore how modern leadership values collaboration, continuous improvement, and empowering teams. Learn to facilitate self-organizing teams, delegate effectively, and align your team around shared goals. The course covers evolving leadership theories, the difference between leadership and management, and how agile integrates the best of modern leadership practices. Understand key agile roles like Scrum Master and Product Owner to lead projects smoothly and foster a motivated, autonomous team environment. Designed for new and experienced leaders, this course emphasizes developing an agile mindset—embracing transparency, adaptability, and continuous learning. By the end, you’ll be ready to create high-performing teams, improve decision-making, and navigate change with agility. Join now to transform your leadership approach and make a lasting impact in your organization.

Module details

The first week of this course jumps right into our traditional notions of leadership, defining the concept, the characteristics of a leader, the science of leadership, and the styles that exist today across master and servant models (Primal Leadership, Team Leadership, Situational Leadership, and Transformational Leadership).

What's included

7 videos22 readings6 assignments

7 videosTotal 53 minutes

1.0.1 Introduction to Agile Leadership2 minutes
1.1.1 Agile Leadership Question Video11 minutes
1.2.1 Defining Leadership Video3 minutes
1.3.1 Traditional Models of Leadership 12 minutes
1.4.1 Modern Leadership Part 17 minutes
1.4.1 Modern Leadership Part 29 minutes
1.5.1 Agile Leadership Video9 minutes

22 readingsTotal 42 minutes

Orientation and Welcome2 minutes
Course Syllabus2 minutes
1.1.0 Leading Into Agile Leadership1 minute
1.1.2 Agile Leadership Summary Points4 minutes
1.1.4 Agile Leadership Question References1 minute
1.2.0 Prep for Defining Leadership1 minute
1.2.2 Defining Leadership Summary Points2 minutes
1.2.4 Defining Leadership References1 minute
1.3.0 Prep for Traditional Leadership1 minute
1.3.2 Traditional Leadership Summary Points6 minutes
1.3.4 Traditional Leadership References1 minute
1.4.0 Prep for Modern Leadership1 minute
1.4.2 Modern Leadership5 minutes
1.4.4 Modern Leadership References1 minute
1.5.0 Prep for Agile Leadership1 minute
1.5.2 Agile Leadership Summary Points5 minutes
1.5.4 Agile Leadership References1 minute
Join an Information Session1 minute
Continue Your Education with UMD!1 minute
Course Slides Available Below!1 minute
Opportunity to Verify! Don't Wait!1 minute
Is a Master’s in Product Management Right for You?2 minutes

6 assignmentsTotal 25 minutes

Week 1 Quiz Problems15 minutes
1.1.3 Agile Leadership Question Knowledge Check2 minutes
1.2.3 Defining Leadership Knowledge Checks2 minutes
1.3.3 Traditional Leadership Knowledge Check2 minutes
1.4.3 Modern Leadership Knowledge Check2 minutes
1.5.3 Agile Leadership Knowledge Check2 minutes

The second week exposes the reasoning behind servant leadership as the optimal approach and how old philosophies and “modern psychology” reinforce the need for leaders to empower teams. Gamification and the power of play are emphasized to ensure optimal contribution and performance across roles on the scaled Agile teams.

What's included

6 videos19 readings6 assignments

6 videosTotal 40 minutes

2.0.1 Week 2 Introduction Video2 minutes
2.1.1 Agile Leader's Process Video6 minutes
2.2.1 Framing Purpose7 minutes
2.3.1 Adapting to Agile Video8 minutes
2.4.1 Power of Play Video7 minutes
2.5.1 Mastery, Autonomy, Purpose Video10 minutes

19 readingsTotal 32 minutes

2.0.0 Week 2 Goals and Objectives1 minute
2.1.0 Prep for Agile Leader's Process1 minute
2.1.2 The Agile Leader's Process Summary Points5 minutes
2.1.4 Agile Leader's Process References1 minute
2.2.1 Prep for Framing Purpose1 minute
2.2.2 Framing Purpose Summary Points2 minutes
2.2.4 Framing Purpose References1 minute
2.3.0 Prep for Adapting to Agile1 minute
2.3.2 Adapting to Agile2 minutes
2.3.4 Adapting to Agile References1 minute
2.4.0 Prep for the Power of Play1 minute
2.4.2 The Power of Play Summary Points3 minutes
2.4.4 The Power of Play References1 minute
2.5.0 Mastery, Autonomy, Purpose1 minute
2.5.2 Mastery, Autonomy, Purpose Summary Points6 minutes
2.5.4 Mastery, Autonomy, Purpose References1 minute
Don't Forget to Claim You Some PDUs!1 minute
Course Slides Available Below!1 minute
Opportunity to Verify! Don't Wait!1 minute

6 assignmentsTotal 25 minutes

Week 2 Quiz Problems15 minutes
2.1.3 The Agile Leader's Process Knowledge Check2 minutes
2.2.3 Framing Purpose Knowledge Check2 minutes
2.3.3 Adapting to Agile Knowledge Check2 minutes
2.4.3 The Power of Play Knowledge Check2 minutes
2.5.3 Mastery, Autonomy, Purpose Knowledge Check2 minutes

The third week explores human decision making, its power and its faults in the form of biases, and how we can train ourselves through emotional-social intelligence and mindfulness to go faster by slowing down. Negotiation styles and techniques are also covered requiring self-reflection on how one handles conflict and manages competing, accommodating, avoiding, compromising, and collaborating challenges.

What's included

6 videos18 readings6 assignments

6 videosTotal 32 minutes

3.0.1 Week 3 Intro Video1 minute
3.1.1 Agile Leader's Challenge8 minutes
3.2.1 Understanding Decision Bias Video6 minutes
3.3.1 Managing Decision Bias Video6 minutes
3.4.1 Harnessing Hidden Powers Video4 minutes
3.5.1 Protecting Focus Video7 minutes

18 readingsTotal 29 minutes

3.0.0 Week 3 Goals and Objectives1 minute
3.1.0 Prep for the Agile Leader's Challenge1 minute
3.1.2 Agile Leader's Challenge Summary Points3 minutes
3.1.4 The Agile Leader's Challenge1 minute
3.2.0 Prep for Understanding Decision Bias1 minute
3.2.2 Understanding Decision Bias Summary Points4 minutes
3.2.4 Understanding Decision Bias References1 minute
3.3.0 Prep for Managing Decision Bias1 minute
3.3.2 Managing Decision Bias Summary Points4 minutes
3.3.4 Managing Decision Bias References1 minute
3.4.0 Prep for Harnessing Hidden Powers1 minute
3.4.2 Harnessing Hidden Powers2 minutes
3.4.4 Harnessing Hidden Powers References1 minute
3.5.0 Prep for Protecting Focus1 minute
3.5.2 Protecting Focus Summary Points3 minutes
3.5.4 Protecting Focus References1 minute
Course Slides Available Below!1 minute
Opportunity to Verify! Don't Wait!1 minute

6 assignmentsTotal 25 minutes

Week 3 Quiz Problems15 minutes
3.1.3 The Agile Leader's Challenge Knowledge Check2 minutes
3.2.3 Understanding Decisions Bias Knowledge Check2 minutes
3.3.3 Managing Decisions Bias Knowledge Check2 minutes
3.4.3 Harnessing Hidden Powers Knowledge Check2 minutes
3.5.3 Protecting Focus Knowledge Check2 minutes

The final week focuses on putting these lessons into practice with real-world approaches and tools for managing and facilitating decisions, interactions, and environments for optimal team performance.