In the context of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe) and the 'Leading the Change' domain, 'Leading by Example' is a foundational dimension of the Lean-Agile Leadership competency. It is based on the premise that organizational change is impossible unless leaders model the behaviors they wish to see in the workforce. Leaders cannot simply mandate Agility; they must internalize and exhibit the Lean-Agile mindset in their daily actions.

Leading by example involves several critical behaviors. First, leaders must demonstrate authenticity and emotional intelligence. This means acting with honesty, integrity, and transparency. By aligning their words with their actions, leaders build the trust necessary to navigate the uncertainty inherent in a transformation. If a leader asks teams to be transparent about failure but hides their own mistakes, the transformation will stall.

Second, leaders must embrace life-long learning. They should actively participate in training, read, and seek new ideas. By demonstrating a growth mindset and admitting they do not have all the answers, leaders create an environment of psychological safety. This encourages teams to experiment, innovate, and take risks without fear of punitive repercussions.

Third, leading by example requires active engagement in the SAFe implementation. Leaders should not just sponsor the change but participate in it by attending System Demos, participating in Inspect and Adapt (I&A) events, and visualizing their own work. By moving from a 'commander' role to a servant-leader approach—focusing on developing people rather than directing tasks—leaders validate the new way of working and inspire the alignment and decentralized decision-making required for Business Agility.

In the context of the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), "Leading the Change" is a foundational responsibility of Lean-Agile Leaders. It recognizes that achieving Business Agility requires a significant cultural transformation, moving away from traditional "command and control" management toward a Lean-Agile mindset.

Based largely on John Kotter’s model for organizational change, leading the change involves specific, actionable steps. First, leaders must establish a sense of urgency, clearly articulating why the status quo is unsustainable and why agility is essential for market survival. They must then build a powerful guiding coalition of change agents (often SPCs) to drive the implementation.

Crucially, a SAFe Agilist leads by example. They cannot simply delegate transformation; they must exhibit the values they wish to see. This involves:

1. **Modeling Behavior:** Adopting a growth mindset and embracing the SAFe Core Values and Principles daily.
2. **Creating Psychological Safety:** Fostering an environment where innovation is encouraged, and failure is treated as a learning opportunity rather than a punishable offense.
3. **Aligning Vision:** Communicating a clear vision for the future state to ensure alignment across the portfolio.

Ultimately, leading the change is about guiding the organization through the SAFe Implementation Roadmap. It requires persistence to overcome resistance and the "gravitational pull" of legacy habits. By actively removing impediments and anchoring new approaches in the corporate culture, leaders ensure that the transformation delivers lasting business value rather than just temporary process changes.

The SAFe Implementation Roadmap is a strategic, twelve-step guide designed to help organizations successfully navigate the complex transformation to the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe). Based on John Kotter’s model for leading change, it provides a reliable path from the initial realization of the need for change to a fully ingrained Lean-Agile culture.

The journey begins at **The Tipping Point**, where the organization recognizes the imperative to change due to a 'burning platform' or visionary leadership. This is followed by building a guiding coalition through **Training Lean-Agile Change Agents (SPCs)** and **Executives, Managers, and Leaders**. To operationalize this, a dedicated **Lean-Agile Center of Excellence (LACE)** is formed to drive the transformation strategy.

The roadmap then focuses on architecture and planning: **Identifying Value Streams and Agile Release Trains (ARTs)** and creating an initial **Implementation Plan**. The organization then moves to execution by **Preparing for ART Launch**, **Training Teams**, and finally **Launching the first ART**. Crucially, this phase includes the pivotal first Program Increment (PI) Planning event.

Once the first ART is running, the focus shifts to **Coaching ART Execution** to ensure stability and quick wins. Success is then scaled by **Launching More ARTs and Value Streams**. As the transformation matures, the organization aligns strategy with execution by **Extending to the Portfolio** level.

The final step, **Accelerate**, turns the transformation into a continuous learning journey, focusing on relentless improvement and sustaining the culture change. This roadmap ensures that 'Leading the Change' is a structured, manageable process that minimizes risk and maximizes business agility.