Why Do You Need to be an Agile Leader?
One thing that we can be absolutely sure about in our uncertain world is that it's impossible to predict the future. That, and the fact that technology is driving change at an unprecedented rate.
What is Agility?
The Oxford Dictionary defines agility as:
1 Ability to move quickly and easily.
'though he was without formal training as dancer or athlete, his physical agility was inexhaustible'
1.1 Ability to think and understand quickly.
'games teach hand-eye coordination, mental agility, and alertness'
Agility has become a highly-prized leadership asset. Agile leaders can develop agile teams that in turn create agile businesses, which are able to adapt quickly to the ever-changing competitive conditions in our VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous) world.
Agile businesses tend to be innovative, customer centred, and focused on achieving goals.
Digital Transformation
The VUCA world and the rapid growth of technology, is pushing us towards more agile ways of working.
Technology, and what we do with it, is changing the way we behave. It has altered the way we collaborate and communicate with colleagues and customers. The explosion of internet connectivity also raises questions about who, or what, is in control.
For business leaders, many of whom want to feel 'in control', this can be quite a challenge. We need to create new ways of working that reflect the changing world outside and inside our organizations and enable us to respond to unexpected opportunities or challenges with speed and accuracy.
The Danger of Complacency
Even if you feel your business is stable and successful, it's possible that someone may come along, disrupt your industry, and turn your world upside-down.
In recent times we've witnessed the downfall of seemingly unassailable global leaders such as Kodak and BlackBerry, who simply weren't agile enough to spot the threats to their businesses, or to react to those threats with innovations of their own.
Embrace Uncertainty
In this fast-moving world, leaders need to learn to create an environment for organizations to embrace uncertainty and flourish by changing how we operate.
For some this may mean continual, incremental change in response to competitive forces. For others, it may demand wholesale reinvention.
The Case for Agile Leadership
What great leaders do has changed. There is widespread agreement that being agile helps you to react more swiftly and decisively.
There are opportunities around today we couldn't have imagined in the past. Agility enables us to embrace these opportunities. It helps us to innovate, to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances and to stay ahead of the competition. And what leader doesn't want to do that?
Watch the video below to discover how to become an agile leader:
