A Contractors view of the Agile Revolution

Nadir has contracted with us on many occasions and brings great knowledge and insight in his area of specialisation – Agile Coaching.

Here are a few questions I put to Nadir to get his views on the Agile revolution we are experiencing in the Tech industry.

A lot of large organisations are undergoing Agile Transformation. Do you think these enterprises truly transform?

The answer depends on how you’re defining “Agile Transformation”? To most (not all) organisations in Australia these days, Agile Transformation means a floor-to-ceiling adoption of any Agile framework (SAFe being the most popular choice at the moment). The success of transformation in these instances is measured by how religiously ceremonies are followed, how frequently features are shipped to production, whether there are prioritised backlogs of work at portfolio, program and delivery levels and so on. If this is how you define enterprise transformation then yes, many organisations can and have truly transformed. Whether these transformations have helped these companies or whether the change will “stick” is a completely different story.

A man smiling
Nadir Khan, Enterprise Agility Coach

Do you then think Agile Transformations are here to stay or are they just another fad?

In the last seven years or so I have seen many organisations fund programs like: “Future ready IT”, “Next Generation Program”, “New ways of working”, “Customer Transformation Program”, “Innovation hubs” etc. If anything, the momentum has picked up even more in the last two to three years with some large businesses undergoing a second or even third wave of “Agile Transformation”. These programs are heavily funded and typically run for a period of two to three years. My read is, that Australian organisations will continue down this path for another three-five years, after which most organisations will be ‘change-fatigued’ and you’ll start to see Transformation programs trending downwards.

So what does that mean for Agile recruitment in 2018?

You will see an unprecedented demand for Agile coaches, Iteration Managers, and Scrum Masters. With a shortage of experienced practitioners, you will also start seeing a lot of Project Managers moving into Agile Delivery Manager and Iteration Manager roles. LeSS and SAFe certified practitioners will be in high demand as well.

Gideon Donaldson is a Senior Consultant – Enterprise Systems at Davidson Technology

Share this content

The hidden edge: What volunteering taught me about leadership

by Paula Price • 27 April 2025
Senior executives are constantly navigating complex decisions, inspiring teams, driving results, and carrying the weight of corporate leadership. We are conditioned to lead — to solve, to direct, to deliver. But in this relentless drive to lead, we often forget the power of simply following. Over the years, one of the most transformative experiences in my professional development didn’t come from a boardroom, a leadership program, or a keynote at a summit. It came from volunteering. And more specifically, from being the manager of a number of high-performance rugby teams. At first glance, the role seemed simple: logistics, admin, support. Not exactly the stuff of strategic leadership. But there, on the sidelines, filling water bottles, washing jerseys, preparing paper work, and coordinating team meals, I rediscovered a truth that too many senior professionals lose touch with — the power of service, and the dignity of the roles that go unnoticed. These menial, often thankless tasks, were crucial to the team’s success. And in doing them, I was reminded of how often in our organisations we overlook the people who create the conditions for performance — the unsung operators, coordinators, assistants, and enablers. This experience fundamentally shifted the way I lead. I no longer see these roles as peripheral. I see them as the bedrock of any high-performing culture.  More importantly, stepping out of a leadership identity — even temporarily — gave me the space to remember who I am without the title. Not the CEO, not the CFO, not the strategist or the fixer — just a person in service of something greater than themselves. That humility is grounding. It makes you more empathetic, more observant, and more connected. And paradoxically, it makes you a better leader when you return to your day job.
A man and a woman are giving each other a high five in an office.

Keeping business operations on track with the right administrative talent

by Marketing Davidson • 23 April 2025
Behind every high-performing organisation is a team of administrative professionals who keep everything running smoothly.

Optimising supply chains with industry-leading talent

by Marketing Davidson • 10 April 2025
In today’s fast-paced business environment, procurement and logistics professionals are the backbone of efficient supply chains. As global challenges reshape industries, organisations must adapt by recruiting top-tier talent to ensure resilience, innovation, and sustainability.