Lost in Digital Translation

Many of us wish, they could design an organization from scratch. Reality is, most of us will face a brown-field approach that has two sides: an organizational part that will remain in a classic working mode, and a new organization that will (try to) apply new working methods

I remember the first time I truly felt the weight of being the bridge between two worlds. Our organization had just started integrating agile practices, but many parts of the company still operated with a traditional mindset. As the one somehow trying to start these new ways of working, I found myself constantly translating—not just words, but entire ways of thinking. At the same time I asked myself, if I am really the expert in this.

My Journey as a Translator: Bridging Two Worlds

At first, I struggled. Explaining agile concepts to traditional stakeholders felt like teaching a new language. I had to simplify the principles without losing their essence. For example, I remember a meeting with our finance team where I had to explain why agile’s iterative approach could still provide predictability. It took patience, metaphors, and a lot of back-and-forth before we found common ground.

At the same time, I had to respect the traditional practices that had been the backbone of the organization for years. I learned that innovation doesn’t mean discarding everything that came before. Instead, it’s about finding balance —aligning the agility of our team with the structured goals of the company.

Advocacy and Buffering: Wearing Many Hats

One of the most challenging aspects I had to overcome was balancing advocacy with protection. Till date I am an advocate for agility, constantly showcasing its value. I’d share stories of how our agile approach led to faster problem-solving or better customer outcomes. But I also had to shield my team from unnecessary bureaucracy or as I like to say: Corporate Legends. Policies, Instructions and Processes that are frequently referred to, add absolutely no value but are anyways executed. (e.g you have to create a ‘Project-ID and fill out an Excel Sheet before we get started on a Project)

Adapting Communication Styles

Flexibility in communication became my superpower. With traditional teams, I leaned into formal reporting and structured presentations. For instance, when presenting to our Executive Board, I framed agile metrics in a way that mirrored their familiar reporting systems. Within my agile team, I encouraged open and collaborative conversations—often in casual, impromptu settings. Switching between these styles was exhausting but essential.

Facing Challenges Head-On

There were days when I felt stretched too thin. Navigating two paradigms meant constant mental shifts, and the stress of meeting both agile and traditional expectations was real. I worried about diluting agile principles to appease traditional teams, and I worked hard to maintain credibility on both sides. It took resilience, deep understanding, and sometimes sheer diplomacy to keep everything moving forward.

The Rewards of Bridging the Gap

Despite the challenges, I began to see the impact of my work. Teams that once seemed worlds apart started collaborating more effectively. Friction decreased, and we achieved goals that neither approach could have tackled alone. Over time, I realized that by serving as this bridge, I was helping the organization evolve into something stronger and more cohesive. That should be the baseline motivation for all us leaders out there and regardless of the height of our frustration a gentle reminder why we do this.

All the best

Sophie