In the hallways, the SAFe posters hang. In the workshops, there’s a spirit of new beginnings. On the website it says: “We work agile.”
And in day-to-day life? Daily check-ins without direction. Roles without responsibility. Processes without impact.
Many companies – especially “traditional” ones – have rolled out new organizational models like SAFe, Holacracy or other agile frameworks in recent years. With huge effort, big promises – and mostly sobering results.
In nine out of ten cases, the results fall far short of expectations.
Not because people are incapable. But because the framework doesn’t fit reality: the business, the culture, the structure.
Six reasons why these new organizational models fail
- Culture beats structure. Always. Agile frameworks demand openness, transparency and personal responsibility. But many companies are deeply hierarchical. Those used to control don’t become self-organized overnight. Especially managers and long-standing employees react with resistance – out of uncertainty or fear of losing control.
- Too fast, too little preparation. Training, yes – but no real anchoring. Methods are introduced without being understood. The result: confusion, overload, frustration.
- Bureaucracy instead of agility. SAFe & Co. often bring complex role models, ritualization and overhead. Teams work more “on the system” than “on the product” – and lose sight of the user.
- Not everyone wants responsibility. Agility demands self-leadership. But not all employees want or can handle that. Without maturity, clarity and support, self-organization turns into chaos.
- Copy & paste doesn’t work. Frameworks were often built for different contexts – large corporations, tech companies, U.S. markets, other scaling logics. Whoever adopts them 1:1 loses flexibility.
- Zombie agility is real. Daily Scrum. Weekly review. And still no impact. No customer benefit. No momentum. Agility as ritual – without meaning. Welcome to the “zombie organization.”
Why do companies still go for frameworks?
Because they hope for security. Manageability. Clarity. And because consultants push them. But no framework replaces leadership. No poster replaces clarity. No process replaces accountability.
Configure instead of copy
Good organization works like a good car: you choose the model – and adapt it to your needs. No CIO buys a vehicle off the shelf. So why an organizational model?
What matters:
- Size & scalability
- Product complexity & level of innovation
- Culture & decision-making paths
- Maturity level & way of working of the teams
- Customer requirements & market dynamics
This creates a model that fits the business – not the other way around. A framework that works – because it fits.
Conclusion
New organizational models are not an end in themselves. They are tools. The central leadership question is not: “Which framework should we adopt?” but: “What really fits us – and what doesn’t?”
I support CXOs and leadership teams in designing structures that truly work – because they’re aligned with culture, product and people. 👉 Let’s talk if you want to question or rethink your model. Without dogma. With impact.