Resolve to be Change Agile

Resolve to be Change Agile!

Remember the adage “nothing is constant but change.” If you subscribe to the belief that change is not an isolated event, then consider committing time and resources to the development of change agility capabilities at the organizational, team, and individual levels.

There are constant pressures within organizations to define and adapt strategies based on shifting market forces, demographic trends, technological innovations, and unintended upheavals. Organizational agility is defined as the ability (or capacity) of a company to quickly and consistently adapt to changes in the external environment, by identifying and capturing business opportunities in a more skillful manner than the competition. If you are an organizational leader, evaluate the processes and leadership development activities dedicated to the following areas:

• Maneuvering quickly to take advantage of opportunities and mitigate threats
• Streamlining the process and time for decision making
• Engaging employees throughout the organization to solve problems together
• Identifying and developing leaders who possess the skill set to foresee the impact of macro events and proactively plan

Organizations are made up of teams, therefore it is important for them to quickly adapt to external business requirements and internal strategic change. If you are a team leader, take the time to commit to practices that support your team’s overall agility. Are you:

• Aligning the team on the critical few priorities?
• Leveraging diversity of thought and individual strengths?
• Establishing communications practices that emphasize open and honest dialogue?
• Creating projects that push team members to think and act differently?
• Dedicating time to develop the agility skills of others on the team?

Ask yourself what you can do develop your individual personal change agility. Remember, change agile individuals are self-aware and dedicated to ongoing learning. Think about opportunities to enhance your skills in the following areas:

• Understanding your organization’s culture
• Networking to develop relationships internally within your organization
• Expanding your industry network and leveraging these relationships to accomplish goals
• Using a strategic mindset by predicting potential issues or obstructions and planning how to deal with them appropriately or avoiding them altogether.
• Maintaining an open and positive attitude to others’ ideas and approach(es)