As an executive coach with a background in agile methodologies, the name “Agile Ideation” also represents ideating about what genuine agility entails. In this post, let’s examine common misconceptions around agility and how to cultivate it authentically.
Agility Beyond Buzzwords
“Agile” has become a popular buzzword slapped onto many diluted or distorted processes. This gives agility a bad rap when the practices bearing its name lack true agile principles.
For example, managers may micromanage teams yet call it “agile.” Rigidly predefined workflows may get branded as “agile” without iterating based on feedback. Lack of vision and shifting priorities may be blamed on agility rather than poor leadership.
However, when properly applied, agile methodologies promote adaptability, servant leadership, and responding intelligently to change. The problem is not agility itself, but rather superficial implementations.
Ideating True Agile Practice
Part of my work involves ideating about what real agility entails and how to manifest it. Key elements of effective agile practice include:
Servant leadership - Leaders support teams and facilitate their work rather than micromanaging. They reinforce vision and trust teams to determine optimal tactics.
Incremental delivery - Work is structured into short iterations that produce valuable outcomes, making it easier to respond to change.
Feedback loops - Ongoing feedback is gathered from stakeholders and used to adjust course. Planning horizons are short.
Continuous improvement - There is always room to improve process, product, and practices. Agility values learning.
Flat hierarchy - Decision-making ability is distributed across empowered teams versus centralized at the top.
Holistic thinking - Agile leaders consider interconnected business elements like people, process, product, strategy, and culture.
Coaching for Agility
True agility stems from leadership, culture, mindsets, and values, not just processes. As an agile coach, I help leaders adopt these foundations across their organizations.
With disciplined practice, agile approaches cultivate adaptability, innovation, and high performance even in fluid business environments. But it requires commitment to core agile principles, not just adopting the label.
Does your organization need renewed focus on real agility? Let’s have a discussion about instilling authentic agile practice through coaching and transformation.