Agile leadership: What is it?

According to the simplest definition, the word “agile” means having the ability to move quickly and easily and being able to think and understand quickly.

Given the huge number of publications on the concept, it may seem like it is just another buzzword in today’s world of business. However, this is not the case when it comes to agile leadership. In its recent report, the World Economic Forum published a list of top skills required to be successful as leaders in 2020, many of them related to being more agile.

The Agile Business Consortium (the UK based not-for-profit body) released their first white paper on the topic in late 2017. To this day, this document remains to be an extremely relevant guide on how to be agile as a business leader.

According to it, the keys to agile leadership lie in the concepts of Communication, Commitment and Collaboration and the following nine principles:

Communication

1. Actions speak louder than words

2. Improved quality of thinking leads to improved outcomes

3. Organisations improve through effective feedback

Commitment

4. People require meaning and purpose to make work fulfilling

5. Emotion is a foundation to enhanced creativity and innovation

6. Leadership lives everywhere in the organisation

Collaboration

7. Leaders devolve appropriate power and authority

8. Collaborative communities achieve more than individuals

9. Great ideas can come from anywhere in the organisation

Agile organisations can thrive in a changing environment and are better equipped to adapt to unpredictable challenges. 

To be an agile leader, you may need to change your mindset from reactive to creative and from top-down decision-making to empowering autonomous teams within your business. 

Change can be difficult. If you would like to read the white paper, click the link:

https://www.agilebusiness.org/page/Resource_paper_nineprinciples

Disclaimer

The information provided in this article does not constitute advice. The information is of a general nature only and does not take into account your individual financial situation. It should not be used, relied upon, or treated as a substitute for specific professional advice. We recommend that you contact Brentnalls SA before making any decision to discuss your particular requirements or circumstances.