The Reality of SAFe® Transformations
Organizations turn to the Scaled Agile Framework® (SAFe®) to improve agility, break down silos, and accelerate value delivery. However, many SAFe® transformations hit roadblocks—not because Agile principles fail, but because organizations struggle with change adoption, leadership alignment, and resistance management. Successfully navigating these challenges is essential for effective SAFe® transformations.
SAFe® requires more than just Agile Release Trains (ARTs), PI Planning, and Lean Portfolio Management (LPM). It demands a cultural shift in how teams operate, leaders engage, and organizations sustain Agile ways of working. Without a structured change management approach, teams face resistance, leadership remains disengaged, and adoption falters.
This is where AIM (Accelerating Implementation Methodology) bridges the gap. Peacock Hill Consulting (PH), a Scaled Agile Bronze Transformation Partner, and Implementation Management Associates (IMA) leverage AIM to reinforce Agile behaviors, align leadership, and proactively manage resistance.
Let’s dive into the biggest challenges organizations face with SAFe®, why AIM is the missing ingredient, and how combining SAFe® and AIM builds a foundation for lasting Agile success.
Where SAFe® Implementations Can Fail Without AIM
Many organizations assume that SAFe® adoption is simply a matter of training teams, launching ARTs, and holding PI Planning sessions. However, without structured change management, Agile teams quickly face friction, disengagement, and leadership misalignment.
Here’s where SAFe® often breaks down:
✅ Leaders fail to model Agile behaviors – Executives expect Agile teams to adapt, yet they continue using command-and-control decision-making instead of empowering teams.
✅ Managers resist Agile roles and processes – Managers struggle to transition into Lean Portfolio Management, Agile coaching, and servant leadership roles. This leads to confusion, slow adoption, and inconsistent execution.
✅ Competing priorities and change fatigue take over – People, already overwhelmed with multiple initiatives, grow skeptical of yet another transformation effort, making engagement difficult to sustain.
✅ Business and IT stay misaligned – SAFe® depends on cross-functional collaboration, but entrenched silos persist, preventing Agile teams from delivering at scale.
✅ Reinforcement is missing – Agile teams adopt SAFe®, but without continuous reinforcement, old habits return, and the transformation stalls.
How AIM Strengthens SAFe® Transformations
AIM brings a structured, measurable approach to SAFe®, ensuring that Agile adoption not only gains traction but also endures. By integrating AIM, organizations eliminate friction, accelerate adoption, and sustain long-term Agile success.
Align Leaders to Accelerate Agile Adoption
SAFe® requires leaders to shift from project-based funding to Lean Portfolio Management, enabling decentralized decision-making and empowering Agile teams. However, many leaders struggle with this transition, causing confusion and hesitation across teams.
To ensure a smooth transformation, organizations must align SAFe® implementation with their budget and ensure leaders actively express, model, and reinforce SAFe® principles. When leadership alignment is weak, Agile adoption slows, and resistance builds.
Identify Resistance Before It Disrupts Agile Adoption
Resistance doesn’t always appear as open opposition. Instead, it often manifests subtly. Teams may avoid Agile ceremonies, delay ART execution, or revert to familiar workflows.
Have you heard phrases like:
- “Just leave me alone, and I’ll get it done.”
- “These ceremonies are just administrative overhead.”
These statements signal underlying resistance that, if unaddressed, can derail adoption. AIM helps organizations proactively identify and mitigate resistance before it disrupts progress.
Reinforce Agile Behaviors So SAFe® Sticks
Even when SAFe® launches successfully, momentum fades without reinforcement. Many organizations start strong but gradually slip back into waterfall mindsets, undermining Agile progress.
Did you establish a reinforcement strategy for SAFe®? Without structured reinforcement, Agile behaviors erode over time, making it difficult to sustain transformation efforts. AIM provides a framework for embedding Agile into daily operations, ensuring SAFe® is more than just a temporary shift.
AIM + SAFe® = Sustainable Agile Transformation
SAFe® provides the framework for scaling Agile, but AIM ensures that transformation lasts by addressing the people side of change.
- SAFe® drives execution, while AIM ensures Agile behaviors stick long-term.
- SAFe® defines roles, while AIM helps leaders and teams operate effectively within those roles.
- SAFe® demands cultural change, while AIM supports organizations in embedding Agile into how they work, not just how they plan.
By combining IMA’s AIM methodology with Peacock Hill’s expertise in SAFe® and transformations, organizations create a comprehensive, execution-focused approach that drives lasting success.
The Bottom Line: AIM Strengthens SAFe® Success
Scaling Agile with SAFe® isn’t just about launching ARTs. It requires a fundamental shift in leadership, behaviors, and culture. Without AIM, SAFe® transformations risk resistance, misalignment, and slow adoption.
AIM helps organizations:
- Align leadership before launching SAFe®, ensuring that sponsors actively support Agile teams.
- Identify and address resistance early, preventing disruptions to adoption.
- Reinforce behaviors, embedding SAFe® into the organization’s culture instead of treating it as a one-time implementation.
Is Your SAFe® Implementation Set Up for Success?
Ask yourself:
- Are leaders aligned on their role in adoption?
- Are we identifying resistance before it escalates?
- Do we have reinforcement plans to sustain behaviors?
