SAFe-Agilist Leading the Change Practice Question
A company is beginning its SAFe transformation. The CEO has asked the Lean-Agile Center of Excellence (LACE) to create a sense of urgency. Which action best aligns with SAFe's guidance for creating urgency?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is equating urgency with pressure or mandates, when SAFe emphasizes building understanding and desire for change through a compelling case.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Share a compelling case for change that highlights the burning platform and the opportunity for improvement.
Creating urgency starts with a clear, compelling case for change that explains why the status quo is no longer viable and what the future could look like. This helps stakeholders emotionally and intellectually buy into the transformation. Mandating training, restructuring, or setting aggressive targets without context can create compliance or fear, not genuine urgency.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Set aggressive delivery targets for the first Agile Release Train to demonstrate quick wins.
Why it's wrong here
Setting aggressive targets without addressing the underlying system can lead to burnout and poor quality. While quick wins are valuable later in the transformation, they should not be forced prematurely. Urgency is about the need for change, not about pushing teams to deliver faster before they are ready. This action may create pressure but not sustainable urgency.
- ✗
Mandate that all employees complete SAFe training within 30 days.
Why it's wrong here
Mandating training may increase awareness but does not create genuine urgency. Urgency comes from understanding the why, not from compliance. Without a compelling case for change, employees may view training as a checkbox exercise. This action can even breed resistance if it feels forced, so it is not the best way to create urgency.
- ✗
Announce a new organizational structure that eliminates middle management layers.
Why it's wrong here
Restructuring can create fear and uncertainty rather than urgency. SAFe emphasizes that change should be led with a clear why, not through abrupt structural changes that may alienate key stakeholders. Eliminating middle management without first building understanding can undermine the transformation. This action does not align with creating a positive sense of urgency.
- ✓
Share a compelling case for change that highlights the burning platform and the opportunity for improvement.
Why this is correct
Creating a sense of urgency involves communicating why the change is necessary and what the benefits will be. A compelling case for change that includes both the burning platform and the positive vision helps stakeholders understand the need to act. This aligns with Kotter's first step and SAFe's guidance to establish urgency early in the transformation.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Scaled Agile exam blueprint
This SAFe-Agilist practice question is part of Courseiva's free Scaled Agile certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SAFe-Agilist exam.