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.
Arlen was amazing, he took the time and effort to answer every question that I asked and others asked. I would definitely sign up for a course with him again.
Arlen was AWESOME in the CAL E & O course. I took away tons of stuff to try out with my organization. I will be back! I'll also send some colleges your way.
It was a great class and Arlen was an excellent instructor. He adapted and adjusted the focus of the course as we went to make sure that everyone in the class got the most they could out of it.
David Bulkin and Arlen (Grow-Lean) are great instructors! I've already taken part on three certifications provided by them, and am every time grateful that I took the time to do it. They have a lot of experience and thrive on teaching us how to use Scrum on an real-life Agile Environment! Would recommend to anyone!
Arlen is a wonderful instructor and comes prepared to coach up and down. He brings a wide variety of domain knowledge, practical shared experience, and remains open to ideas from students. A class is only as good as the instructor leading it. Thank you!
The entire course was well structured and started with asking attendees what they wanted from the course. Arlen made sure to check in multiple to make sure we were covering the topics we asked for from the beginning. I found the exercises to be very well thought out and beneficial to applying the techniques and topics reviewed.
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.
This was an excellent class. There are several educational options out there, and I am glad I chose this one because Arlen's real-life experience and skill in designing this course made it valuable and fun. It was two days, and Arlen made it so relevant and interesting, I would be happy to spend many more days learning from him! Thank you!
Arlen is knowledgeable and clearly explained all the concepts
Great course. Interactive and very interesting. Arlen Bankston was a great instructor.
ARLEN IS A GREAT INSTRUCTOR! Scrum is about people > process, and Arlen made everyone feel like they were a part of the training! GREAT TRAINER!
Great course! The content was very relevant and the way it was presented made it immediately applicable. The collaborative nature of the course also enabled for more meaningful delivery of the concepts AND different perspectives on how to apply it. Arlen is great and I would definitely attend another session led by him in the future. Thanks!
Arlen is a skilled facilitator and brings a wealth of experience to the table. This enriches the experience significantly.
Great training with lots of additional, personalized material. Arlen was terrific.
Arlen was excellent and brought some excitement to the course. Perfect blend of practical exercises, class discussion and instructor lead information.
One of the better Agile courses I have taken. The content was very well presented, interesting, and useful. The format was engaging and interactive, and it moved at a smart pace (I didn't doze off once). The instructor (Arlen) clearly put a lot of effort into preparing the course material/resources. I would definitely recommend.
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 break outs using a Mural board. It was beneficial to be hands on and partnering with others while learning.
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.
Working Grow-Lean was a very professional company to work with. Their materials were informative and all of their correspondence was thorough and helped with learning the material.
The practice sessions, lecture material all very informative and very detailed. It would be good idea to provide how to's on MIRO software, but not critical. Whole class was very well instructed
Grow-lean mentors are very welcoming and always check on their students to make sure they are receiving they knowledge being transferred. I will definitely recommend it who ever try to enroll with Grow-lean
Had an informative and engaging time over these last two days learning all things Scrum! Grow-Lean definitely prepared me and I feel confident proceeding both into this exam as well as into my career! Any and all should come and take this course!
Loved the course, really interactive and with lots of useful exercises and examples on how to apply the practices we have been taught during the class. Would totally recommend it!
The class was very engaging, lots of discussion and fun as well. Instructor had a unique ways of explaining the concept. Loved it. The Mural board was a bit annoying in start and eventually got used to it.
Very detailed and engaging class. I like how interactive the class is and we got to collaborate in the different break-out rooms. I highly recommend Grow-lean and I plan on taking additional courses with them to advance my knowledge and career.
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.
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.
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.
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.
At Grow-Lean, we understand that job loss and financial hardships can be overwhelming. Many of our customers and community members have shared their challenges, and we want to help.
For a limited time, we are providing even deeper discounts, making it easier for you to continue learning and advance your career. This program applies courses taking place between now and 15 March 2026 and includes early bird (automatically applied), alumni, groups (3+ at one or many events), hardship, out of pocket, student, teacher and military. Apply for a discount on the session date you are interested in.
Use your mouse wheel, or finger to choose a discount, then click on it.
CST | CSP-SM | CSP-PO | CAL | A-CSM | CSM | A-CSPO | CSPO | LSS MB | SAFe SPC5
Arlen Bankston, a pioneering figure in the agile movement, was one of the first to integrate lean systems thinking and user experience practices with agile software development methodologies. His innovative approach has left a lasting impact on the field.
Currently, Arlen is a sought-after coach and trainer, specializing in advanced courses such as the Advanced CSPO, Certified Scrum Professional PO, Certified Scrum Professional - ScrumMaster, Certified Agile Leadership Essentials and Team, as well as custom sessions including the Grow-Lean Remote and Hybrid Work. His expertise extends beyond the realm of software, exploring Lean, Six Sigma, BPM and other process management and systems thinking approaches to provide organizations with a comprehensive perspective.
Arlen's journey in the agile world began with his early involvement in the Scrum Alliance (member number 41) and as one of the first Certified Scrum Trainers . He further expanded his knowledge by becoming a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt during his six-year tenure leading a Lean-Agile practice. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to co-found the consultancy LitheSpeed, which he successfully led for fifteen years before joining Grow-Lean.
Known for his thought leadership and dynamic, entertaining, and practical training style, Arlen has trained and mentored thousands of ScrumMasters, Product Owners, team members and executives. He designed the Agile Leadership Academy to address the leadership and structural challenges that many successful companies still face.
Arlen's client list spans across every industry and includes notable names such as RBC, Monster, Marriott, NBC Universal, CNBC, NGA, Capital One, T. Rowe Price, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and the Armed Forces Benefits Association. His book “HR and the Agile Organization” provides valuable insights on how human resources departments can adapt to support organizations striving for adaptability while enhancing employee engagement and retention.
Today’s markets are volatile, unpredictable, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA). Agile methods address these challenges by using tight, effective feedback loops to maximize learning, limit risk, and increase return on investment.
Agile methods were created to support adaptation without sacrificing quality in software development. However, delivering great products and services requires end-to-end agility - going beyond technology teams and into marketing, sales, operations, and beyond.
Agile leaders drive better collaboration and coordination across an organization, leading to higher product value, improved quality, faster delivery, and stronger employee engagement.
Agile leadership requires flexible approaches to planning, tracking, and managing work that align with diverse work portfolios. There is no one-size-fits-all method. Leaders must adapt based on their unique environment.
Effective feedback loops and a growth mindset are critical to driving agility at scale and sustaining long-term success.
The best agile leaders combine self-awareness, empathy, and a deep understanding of their business and customer environment. This enables them to apply situational leadership, adjusting their style to fit the context.
They drive lasting change by fostering self-organizing teams that take ownership, experiment, and continuously improve.
Be careful of the company you pick. With Grow-Lean everything is covered, including the certification fees , and a free class retake (within 120 days). You also receive additional discounts off of your next session with us.
There are no surprise costs when you register or accept your license and we have a user friendly transfer and cancellation policy.
Unlike other programs, this CAL 1 Workshop is fully live and led by world-class agile expert, Arlen Bankston. With decades of hands-on experience, Arlen blends real-world insights, deep discussions, and interactive learning into a dynamic, engaging experience.
What makes this training stand out?
By taking this session, you'll get:
This isn’t just another training. It’s an experience that fuels your leadership journey.
Successfully completing this workshop earns you the CAL 1 certification and makes you eligible to apply for CAL 2. You’ll gain the skills necessary to lead agile transformation and drive real change in your organization.
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Certified Agile Leader 1 Mon, 9 Feb to Tue, 10 Feb 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM (EST) Online - 2 days Discounts |
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Certified Agile Leader 1 Thu, 5 Mar to Fri, 6 Mar 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (EST) Online - 2 days Discounts |
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Certified Agile Leader 1 Thu, 9 Apr to Fri, 10 Apr 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM (EST) Online - 2 days Discounts |
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Certified Agile Leader 1 Mon, 11 May to Tue, 12 May 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM (EST) Online - 2 days Discounts |
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Certified Agile Leader 1 Thu, 4 Jun to Fri, 5 Jun 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (EST) Online - 2 days Discounts |
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Certified Agile Leader 1 Mon, 29 Jun to Tue, 30 Jun 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM (EST) Online - 2 days Discounts |
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Mon, 9 Feb 10:00 AM (EST) |
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Tue, 10 Feb 6:00 PM (EST) |
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Thu, 5 Mar 9:00 AM (EST) |
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Fri, 6 Mar 5:00 PM (EST) |
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Thu, 9 Apr 10:00 AM (EST) |
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Fri, 10 Apr 6:00 PM (EST) |
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Mon, 11 May 10:00 AM (EST) |
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Tue, 12 May 6:00 PM (EST) |
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Thu, 4 Jun 9:00 AM (EST) |
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Fri, 5 Jun 5:00 PM (EST) |
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Mon, 29 Jun 9:30 AM (EST) |
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Tue, 30 Jun 5:30 PM (EST) |
Online - 2 days |
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