What is 'agile'?
Traditional approaches to strategy assume a relatively stable world. But, globalization, new technologies, and greater transparency have combined to upend the business environment. Sustained competitive advantage now stems from four organizational capabilities:
- The ability to read and act on signals of change
- The ability to experiment rapidly and frequently, not only with products and services but also with business models, processes, and strategies
- The ability to manage complex, and deeply connected systems of stakeholders
- The ability to motivate employees and partners
Source: Martin Reeves & Mike Deimler, Adaptability: The new competitive advantage, HBR Jul 2011.
'Agile’ has been strongly associated with iterative and incremental project management for software development, engineering projects and product design. Business researchers, however, argue the ‘agile’ approach is increasingly relevant for businesses as a whole.
But ‘agile’ is also an adjective, meaning: 'Able to deal with new situations or changes quickly and successfully'
(Cambridge dictionary)
Whilst alignment with Agile methodologies maybe useful, we advocate a wider definition.
At an organizational level, agile is a culture, a capability, a set of guiding principles – stretching beyond agile techniques, practices and tools.
McKinsey identified three types of organizational agility:
- Strategic – spotting and seizing opportunities
- Portfolio – intelligent shifting of priorities
- Operational – adapting processes and delivery
Successful businesses need to have the capability, skills, processes and tools to be agile across many dimensions.
At a team level, agile is about who, what and how.
Who is on the team matters, how the work is done matters - but how the team works together matters the most.
Google researchers set out to answer, “what makes a team effective at Google?” They were intrigued to discover it was less about who was on the team, and more about how the team worked together. They highlight five critical factors - laid out here in order of importance.
A team culture of psychological safety and dependability are core to team agility. Without it, a team’s ability to adapt, take risks, experiment, and learn together is severely hampered.
At an individual level, being an agile learner is critical.
Learning agility has been shown to be a better predictor of future potential than IQ, background or previous experience. A vital capability for anyone wanting to stay relevant and employable.
Learning agility is the ability to learn new things and apply that learning in new and different situations.
Anyone can grow their learning agility, at any age, by experiencing things and taking the time to make sense of what they have learned – individually or with others. New experiences are only part of the story, the learning they gain also needs to be absorbed and applied – an active process.
Agile learners are lifelong, continuous learners who are willing and able to stretch out of their comfort zones. They are encouraged to try new things by their managers, supported to try new things by their organization, and have the capacity to make sense of what they have learned – by themselves or alongside others.