Certified Agile Leader 1

Agile leadership isn’t about knowing frameworks. It’s about making a real impact.

The CAL 1 certification helps you break through political, cultural, and structural barriers to build stronger, more adaptable teams and organizations.

Led by Arlen Bankston, a 25-year agile veteran, this deeply interactive course gives you the tools to tackle leadership challenges head-on. Through discussions, exercises, and real-world examples, you'll gain practical insights you can apply immediately.

Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, LeSS, FAST—we don’t just cover agile methodologies; we help you understand when and how to use them. Learn how to empower teams, drive adaptability, and avoid common pitfalls that slow organizations down.

Walk away with confidence. Earn your CAL 1 certification and badge, but more importantly, gain the skills to lead with clarity, navigate complexity, and help your organization thrive in today’s unpredictable world.

Student Testimonials

Vetted reviews from class attendees

4.89 - 206 reviews

5.00 - 82 reviews

4.90 - 927 reviews

Testimonials

M Michael C Hunter

One reason I selected this course is it was completed without one PowerPoint slide. The instructor, Arlen Bankston, would facilitate the lesson and move the participants into breakouts using a Mural board. It was beneficial to be hands on and partnering with others while learning.

D Dhanashree Junnarkar

Arlene was very much experienced and knowledgeable instructor who answered all our questions. Provided us opportunities to work on product. All the different breakout sessions helped us a lot.

D Diana Clark

Arlen was well organized and the class ran smoothly. I enjoyed that he not only knew the material but also the history behind it. The exercises were great.

N Nikole

Arlen was a wonderful class leader. He kept the class interesting by including historical stories about where concepts came from, productive breakout sessions, and timely coffee/lunch breaks. He was also very nimble and adjusted content on the fly as questions came up. I would definitely recommend this class to any leaders interested in learning more about Agile methodologies and how best to support their teams.

Your Path to Agile Leadership Success

Master Agile Leadership with CAL 1

The Scrum Alliance Certified Agile Leader® 1 (CAL 1) workshop is designed for leaders looking to launch or enhance agility at both the team and organizational level.
Led by an experienced executive with over 20 years of real-world transformation experience, this course provides practical, no-nonsense insights from someone who has worked with companies across both the private and public sectors since the genesis of the agile movement.

No question will go unanswered. You’ll engage in discussions that tackle real-world challenges—ensuring you leave with the clarity and confidence to drive meaningful change in your organization.

Why This Course Matters for Leaders

Great leaders don’t just manage change. They drive it. The CAL 1 workshop equips you with the mindset, focus, and behaviors needed to lead agile transformations effectively.

In today’s complex and fast-changing world, agile leadership isn’t optional. It’s essential. You’ll learn why agile methods matter, how to track their impact, and what it takes to cultivate a truly adaptive organization.

We explore proven strategies for driving change in an iterative and incremental fashion, giving you the tools to influence agility at every level from teams to enterprise-wide transformation.

What You Will Experience

The CAL 1 workshop explores the evolution of agile methods and how they differ from traditional approaches like waterfall. We also examine the common hybrid models many organizations use, where upfront planning is blended with agile execution.

Through interactive case studies, thought experiments, and pattern-based exercises, you’ll see agile leadership in action. Real-world examples of organizations that have successfully customized agile approaches will illustrate the flexibility and creativity that informed leadership can unlock.

Gain Hands-on Experience With:

Visualizing and optimizing value streams
Comparing different ways to structure and connect teams
Exploring strategic and tactical measurement methods
Applying agility beyond development teams
Understanding unique approaches to prioritization for projects and features
Learning effective change management strategies

Every class is unique—your trainer leverages deep experience and a vast library of custom content to address the specific needs of the group in real time.

Session Schedule

Certified Agile Leader 1 (CAL1)

29 June - 30 June
9:30 AM - 5:30 PM (EDT) 8.00 hours each day
Two days

Learning Objectives

Master the core principles and values of agile leadership. Understand your role in promoting them so you can think and lead with agility.