SAFe Agile Transformation at Molson Coors: Driving Cohesion, Accountability, and Predictability Across Distributed Teams

BACKGROUND:

In early 2023, Molson Coors Beverage Company (MCBC) launched a SAFe Agile transformation to enhance alignment, accountability, and performance across its product and technology teams. This transformation was guided by two experienced Agile coaches who collaborated closely to address MCBC’s unique challenges with distributed teams, varied Agile practices, and limited leadership buy-in. The goal was to instill a culture of agility, collaboration, and predictable delivery that aligned with MCBC’s strategic objectives.

THE CHALLENGE:

MCBC’s teams faced several obstacles:

Distributed and Siloed Operations:
Teams operated in dispersed locations with limited cross-functional collaboration.
Inconsistent Agile Practices:
Agile ceremonies and practices varied across teams, affecting predictability and delivery.
Leadership Engagement:
Key leaders were not fully aligned with Agile values, impacting budget allocation and Agile adoption.
Role Clarity and Accountability:
There was ambiguity in the roles of Product Owners and Scrum Masters, impacting backlog health and delivery quality.

OUR SOLUTION:

A structured SAFe Agile approach was implemented across multiple phases to address these challenges:

Phases 1 & 2: Establishing Agile Foundations and Building Momentum (Feb – July 2023)
- Leadership Engagement and Role Definition: Initial sessions engaged MCBC leadership to build awareness, support, and alignment with Agile principles. Roles for Product Owners (POs) and Scrum Masters (SMs) were defined, and leadership expectations clarified.
- Agile Workshops and Model Teams: Conducted immersive Agile workshops to introduce SAFe practices. Selected model teams were established to demonstrate Agile values and best practices, creating benchmarks for other teams. Conducted various SAFe Trainings: Leading SAFe, SAFe for Teams, SAFe Scrum Master, SAFe PO/PM for the employees.
- Coaching and Health Checks: Regular coaching sessions were held with SMs and POs to enhance team cohesion, cross-functional collaboration, and role effectiveness. Health check reviews were introduced to track team progress, identify obstacles, and foster transparent communication with leadership.
- Journey Mapping and JIT Training: Facilitated user story mapping via 1:1 sessions with POs and group sessions with Agile Teams and just-in-time training workshops to refine prioritization, sprint planning, and Agile event execution.

Phases 3 & 4: Optimizing Sprint Progress and Scaling Agile Practices (Aug 2023 – Mar 2024)
- Sprint Optimization and Team Ownership: SMs and POs took on greater ownership of Agile ceremonies, leading to more structured sprints and improved accountability for backlog management.
- Enhanced Retrospectives and Feedback Mechanisms: Focused retrospectives addressed Agile anti patterns, enhancing team collaboration and improving planning accuracy.
- Expanding Kanban Practices: Introduced Kanban practices within the Data ART to support high-priority work, improve visibility, and manage flow more effectively.
- Leadership Development for Lean Portfolio Management (LPM): Conducted targeted coaching sessions with leaders to enhance their involvement in Lean Portfolio Management, empowering them to resolve high-impact impediments and support Agile investments.
- Support for New SMs and POs: Worked closely with newly onboarded Scrum Masters and Product Owners, providing them with training on Agile best practices and reinforcing role clarity.

Phases 5 & 6: Sustaining Agility and Enabling Long-Term Transformation (Apr – Oct 2024)
- Finalizing Handover to Internal Coach: Transitioned coaching responsibilities to the Internal Coach, ensuring continuity in Agile practices and long-term support.
- Artifact Review and Knowledge Transfer: Reviewed all Agile artifacts with SMs, POs, and the Internal Coach, focusing on backlog management, metrics tracking, and cadence.
- Celebrating Success and Reflecting on Outcomes: Held final sessions with team members and leadership to acknowledge progress, highlight successes, and set goals for continuous improvement.
- Focused 1:1 and Group Engagements: Conducted final 1:1 and small group meetings to express gratitude, reinforce key takeaways, and ensure that Agile principles remain embedded in MCBC’s culture.
- SAFe Implementation and Leadership Coaching Wrap-Up: Concluded leadership coaching with a focus on sustaining SAFe practices and aligning future ART planning with Agile values and metrics.

Business Outcomes Achieved

Enhanced Team Predictability and Velocity: Teams achieved higher predictability with stable velocity, improving sprint reliability and delivery timelines.
Improved Leadership Engagement: Leaders were more deeply invested in Agile practices, contributing to better prioritization of Agile investments and prompt removal of obstacles.
Increased Accountability and Collaboration: POs and SMs took greater ownership of their roles, leading to improved backlog health and stronger team dynamics.
Streamlined Agile Events: Teams developed consistent rhythms in Agile ceremonies, creating structured standups, planning sessions, and retrospectives that fostered collaboration and visibility.
Successful Knowledge Transfer: Coaching responsibilities were effectively transitioned to the Internal Coach, ensuring sustainable Agile practices and continuous support for MCBC teams.

Through this comprehensive SAFe Agile transformation, MCBC’s teams realized significant gains in predictability, leadership alignment, and team accountability. This transformation empowered MCBC to adopt Agile methodologies deeply, driving sustained progress and adaptability in a distributed team environment.

TESTIMONIALS

Meredyth M.

Senior Manager of Advanced Analytics at Molson Coors

I highly recommend Amit Sinha as a SAFe Agile consultant and coach. Unlike many who focus strictly on the framework’s dogma, Amit takes a flexible, people-first approach, meeting teams and individuals where they are and tailoring solutions that genuinely work for them.

What sets Amit apart is his ability to coach to the person, not just the organization. He deeply believes in the power of personal growth and professional development, fostering an environment where individuals and teams thrive. His empathetic and observant nature ensures that his feedback is not only insightful but also constructive and actionable. Amit instilled a culture of continuous improvement within our teams. His regular retrospectives and feedback loops have led to ongoing enhancements in our processes and outcomes. Amit introduced the concept of story mapping to our development team, which was struggling with vague requirements and unrealistic timelines. He facilitated a story mapping workshop where the team collaboratively visualized the user journey and identified key features and tasks.

With Amit, you don’t just adopt Agile practices—you grow as a professional and as a team. His approach builds trust, encourages open communication, and drives meaningful progress in ways that truly resonate. I couldn’t recommend him more highly for organizations or individuals looking for a thoughtful, human-centered guide to Agile transformation or personal professional coaching.

Steven Buda

Scrum Master at Molson Coors, Civil Affairs Detachment Chief, SAFe 6.0 Certified, CSP-SM

Amit is an energetic and enthusiastic agilist who has a special gift for ecouraging change. I didn’t know how much I didn’t know before Amit became my mentor/agile coach, he took time and genuine care in my work and wellbeing, while teaching mindfulness along the way. His mentorship while writing the Kanban Playbook, which sets the best practices for all of Kanban teams within MCBC was valuable beyond words. I would seek out opportunities to work with Amit again, and would encourage others to learn from him at the earliest possible convenience.

Jared Gruenwald

Senior Scrum Master at Molson Coors Beverage Company

Amit is an authentic and passionate Agilest who brings a great depth of knowledge to his work. It was a pleasure working with him at Molson Coors developing the Agile culture there. I would recommend him to anyone looking to grow their Agile understanding in the correct direction.