Agility is – now more than ever – the key to organizational success, but we need to start taking it seriously. Agility is not a fun playground, but a key factor in making your business and employees thrive in an ever-evolving world.

To spread our conviction that agility is the key to success, our managing partner Kris Philippaerts created a mini blog series on the topic of Business Agility. In 6 episodes, Kris will take you through his thoughts and beliefs, applying his experience and expertise on several topics.

Are you ready to be swept away? Let’s go!

By Kris Philippaerts

Episode 1 | Why Business Agility matters: navigating complexity in today’s landscape 

Agility might very well be the most vital element for the survival of today’s organizations. 

In today’s dynamic landscape, stagnation equates to regression. We find ourselves in an era where rapid technological advancements, such as AI, can disrupt markets within months. Global political events, including elections and conflicts, constantly impact our businesses. Societal changes, such as the rise of remote working, redefine the work paradigm. 
 
All these factors not only impact our organizations but also reverberate throughout our surroundings, affecting our customers and their evolving needs and demands. In this intricate environment, there is no single organizational structure, adoption process, or management method that can resolve these challenges. Attempting to identify and solve each contributing problem individually is futile and will simply give rise to new issues. But then how do you approach it? 

Embrace complexity  

To grasp the essence of agility and its significance, we must first analyze the scope of our challenges. In essence, the problem lies in the sheer number of interconnected issues in an organization, all influencing one another in unpredictable ways. In other words: it’s complex. And so, the pursuit of identifying, examining, and solving each problem individually is an endless task that is likely to generate more problems than solutions. And that’s not what you want. 

So, instead of fixating on individual problems, effective management focuses on mitigating their impact through multifaceted initiatives. The approach is to “navigate complexity” rather than attempting to “solve all problems.”  

How do you do that? 

Well, navigating complexity necessitates an in-depth understanding of the day-to-day dynamics of teams and individuals to identify valuable leverage points for investment and improvement. This task is too vast and varied to be solely managed by one or a set of managers. You need to consider aspects like employee development and engagement, technological innovation, operational efficiency, customer experience, market analysis, partnerships, security, brand building, and knowledge management—all of which fluctuate in tandem with the volatile VUCA world our organization inhabits.  

Boost employee empowerment and engagement  

To not just survive but thrive in this context, it is crucial to establish an organization that can promptly adapt to its ever-changing dynamics. Traditional management, with its centralized and reactive nature, proves inadequate in this fast-paced setting and risks becoming a hindrance. Consequently, it becomes imperative for every employee within the organization to be equipped with the ability to make sound decisions on the spot.  

Introducing “Agility”— more than a mere structure or process, it is a mindset and commitment embraced by each individual within the organization. This calls for a departure from the conventional top-down approach, advocating for a culture led by post-heroic leaders. These leaders prioritize cultivating an environment where team members feel empowered and engaged rather than subjected to commands and controls.  

💡 Explore Giles Linsday’s insights on “How Post-Heroic Leadership Strengthens Culture and Performance” for a deeper understanding of this transformative leadership style.  

💡 And go check our blog on “Business Agility: buzzword or necessary evolution?”