There is a lot going on in the world right now. Today is nothing like yesterday. From what seems like the never-ending pandemic that we’re all enduring and that’s affecting different aspects of our lives and business to the war in Ukraine that no one really expected and that shook us all. We’re facing major changes and challenges right now. Challenges we have to deal with, whether it’s on a private or a professional level.
As a result of these challenging and fast-changing times, the importance of the agile transformation process has risen. Companies must act quickly and effectively in response to political, organizational, and cultural changes. How can companies maintain business productivity while ensuring the employee experience is collaborative? For me, the following 3 tips are vital when it comes to agile transformation:
1. Create an inclusive and transparent culture
An agile culture has to be built on an agile mindset. But what does that mean? It means that there is no room for silo-thinking and lack of engagement. Especially with remote and hybrid work, it is important to create a culture in which everyone feels comfortable and included. Every employee should understand his/her role and should have all resources to perform their job in the best possible way. In addition, it should be possible to communicate one’s needs to everyone, no matter if colleagues or someone from the top management. Employees have to be seen and heard. As soon as you build an inclusive culture and get rid of silo-thinking and miscommunication, you will be able to work quickly and effectively, the essence of agility. If your employees feel appreciated and well informed due to transparent communication, their willingness to adapt will be higher whenever the circumstances demand it.
2. Foster knowledge exchange and collaboration in daily work
How do you pass on knowledge in your company? Being able to access the right information from the right people quickly is crucial for agility. So if you want to progress in your agile transformation make sure that knowledge is easily accessible, and foster team collaboration. In many companies about 80% of human knowledge is untapped because of lacking documentation. By writing down organizational knowledge, employees can improve their day-to-day work and remove outdated information and knowledge gaps, which is vital when working remotely. In addition, employees who work on expanding their knowledge are more productive, motivated, and satisfied at work. The result: a more inclusive culture and increased organizational agility. So, it is definitely worth investing in tools and procedures that close knowledge gaps and foster collaboration in your team.
Also worth mentioning: A well-working failure culture is an important pillar for successful agile transformation. As it is almost impossible to avoid failures, you should create a culture in which failures are perceived as something positive. It’s the basis for innovation and fast improvement.
3. Inspire with a great purpose
Everyone who knows me also knows that I am a strong believer in the power of purpose. To foster the agile transformation, I think it is crucial to define and communicate the company’s purpose. A company’s purpose is not always something that employees can divine on their own. That’s where leaders come into play. It’s so important to define and communicate the company’s purpose, but even more important to communicate to your team that their efforts contribute to the company’s goals and make a real difference. As soon as you connect your team’s work to the business outcome, you will feel a difference. Your employees will develop a sense of urgency to get better and do better when they know, and believe in, the WHY behind their work.
The future is agile and we need to be too! In challenging times like now we will find out if our methods work. In easy times, it’s easy to succeed. If your methods work, you’ll find out when the going gets tough.
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