My colleague and friend, Anthony Mersino runs VitalityChicago. And agile coaching and training firm in, you guessed it, Chicago. He recently shared a post about 3 Key Steps that leaders should be taking to create business agility. The steps are:
Get Executive Buy-in and Agile Mindset
Agile Leaders Should Get the Right Mix of Talent
Foster an Agile Friendly Culture and Organizational Structure
While I really like Anthony’s 3 Key Steps, I’d like to add to or augment them…just a little bit.
For #1
In my experience, there’s a HUGE difference between getting buy-in and achieving an agile mindset. Most executives have a modicum of buy-in. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be embarking on an agile journey. However, achieving an agile mindset is different.
I was approached to speak at a startup event for a local Business Agility Institute user group here in the Raleigh/Durham area. I was quite pleased to be approached and am more than willing to present an agile topic to the group.
But the request made me think…
I’ve been engaged in agile approaches for nearly twenty years. So, I have quite a lot of experience with the core methods, practices, scaling, agile leadership, cultures, etc. But what the heck is “Business Agility” and what sorts of topics would that group be interested in?
The answer escaped me and I realized I had to do some research.
Basic Definitions
Here’s what CA (Rally Software) had to say regarding a definition and 3 key aspects:
A company’s way to sense and respond to change proactively and with confidence to deliver business value—faster than the competition—as a matter of everyday business.
1. It’s making the customer the central focus of your organization
2. It’s driving value faster, better, and more efficiently
3. It’s transforming how your business operates to achieve successful outcomes
