Six Ways to Build an Agile Organization
The world around us is changing. Quickly. Business environments are increasingly complex, and rapid changes in competition, technology, and even employee experience expectations have made it more important than ever for companies to be equipped to adapt swiftly.
We know this to be true, and yet according to a study by McKinsey Global Survey, this ability to quickly adjust strategy, processes, technology, and even people toward value-centric alignment, also known as organizational agility, is not an easy thing to build. And it is much more than just changing the way people think.
We’ve pulled together six ways that may help your organization reach the somewhat elusive goal of organizational agility:
Lean on Leadership: as organizations grow, decisions will become more complicated. One thing agile organizations need to have in common are leaders who make well-thought-out, yet timely, decisions. Leaders at agile companies know their decisions play a key role in agile performance for their department, and organization as a whole. (More on leading by example to promote organization agility).
Playbooks Over Plans: In the past organizations have often lived by a black and white set of plans and processes. In order to develop into a more agile organization, consider the notion of a playbook over concrete plans. A playbook, or blueprint, in an agile model, goes beyond an organizational chart or step-by-step process. It must provide a clear vision of how a new operating model might work, and since agility changes the way work is done, your playbook should also identify changes to people, processes, and technology elements.
Flexibility: Flexibility is the name of the game when it comes to organizational agility. Exploring new ways of working and continuously striving to improve provide ample opportunity for ongoing adaptability. Budget structures, reallocation of funds, and value streams that put the customer at the center can all create opportunities for change as needs shift. One positive from the pandemic is that many of us have already experienced a shift in how we respond, react, adapt and cope in business and throughout day to day operations.
Dynamic Practices + Stability: It may seem like flexibility and stability wouldn't go hand in hand, but when done well and with precision, they can help lead you towards higher levels of agility. Changing well-established working practices and embedded habits takes time and patience. One major aspect to consider is how technology may help you grow, change, expand, and adjust your business methodologies and models. The right technology, with the proper training, can lead to informative decision making and stable practices during times of change.
Communication and culture: Agile tactics are not just about implementing new processes and procedures, but about embracing organizational culture and changing attitudes surrounding the team and business as a whole. When employees embrace and understand the purpose and value behind not just the company, but their individual work, you begin to see enhanced communication, creativity, and innovation in addition to increased engagement and motivation; all critical pieces in putting together an agile culture within your organization.
Establish a Culture of Learning: Within an Agile organization, the most valuable feedback to help with future decision making will come from real projects with real results. Employees that are afraid of failing, or being penalized for their failures, are often less likely to take risks; one of the building blocks towards true change. If something is not working, an agile organization should learn to not simply continue with it, but dig deeper to learn why it’s not working, and make a timely, informed adjustment or change. Employees who see learning embraced are more likely to embrace it themselves, giving them a sense of ownership and a chance to set up projects for themselves, which in turn embeds the principle of entrepreneurship within an Agile organization.
Organizational agility can be considered a journey versus a set destination. While the above tactics are critical for a business to consider while evolving into increased agility, it is important to remember that organizational agility is not one size fits all. It will vary from business to business, and industry to industry. It may even vary unit to unit within your organization. As time consuming as this may sound, results of an agile organization - such as better performance, increased flexibility, and higher rates of positive employee experience - are proven to be well worth the effort. By becoming agile you’ll have a much more seamless ability to embrace change because you’ll truly be built for it.
