A global pandemic, large scale geo-political conflict, natural disasters… these are but a few of the challenges current founders have to grow through as they navigate this grand scale reinvention. Those who can adapt quickly, thrive. Those who do not, suffer. This is what it means to be agile in business. So, what can be done to ensure an agile Business? Ashlie Collins explains.
Recruit for organisational intelligence
Organisational Intelligence is quite simply the intellectual capacity of the entire organisation. Recruiting carbon copies of the same type of persona over and over will greatly diminish organisational intelligence. The lens through which challenges are viewed will be restricted to one perspective and there will be a lack of critical thinking and problem solving.
Instead be strategic in hiring for lived experience and not just educational credentials. Be open minded in regards to geolocation of the folks you hire and creative in identifying the actual skills needed to solve problems through your product or service.
Cultivate relational intelligence
Relational intelligence is the skill of navigating relationships well. Like it or not, the world revolves around relationships - personally and professionally. Quite frankly, relational intelligence should be a core KPI for all businesses. Routine check-ins should be established to monitor the health of relationships across the organisation: co-founders/founding team, executive team, cross-functional leadership teams, team cohorts and client relationships.
Ongoing training on identifying unconscious thought patterns that are impacting performance and equipping the organisation with practical tools and adequate support to address these blockers will ensure that critical conversations are had and innovative ideas are actioned quickly and effectively.
Have a big vision
Being agile is about letting go of “the how” and remaining hyper focused on “the why”. What impact is the organisation trying to make? What problem is it trying to solve and why? Is everyone in the organisation clear on this? If the mission is to make as much money as possible, be honest about that. If it is to have a social impact, then be clear on what that impact is and measure it.
The world is evolving rapidly, and how you get things done will need to change just as rapidly: with a long range North Star to anchor to. Without it, the likely outcome will be a lack of cohesive decision making across functions and avoidable setbacks.
Set clear values
Any organisation that has clarity on their North Star, has a diverse team with expansive lived experience - that feels safe to have critical conversations - can get the right decisions made quickly with a solid values framework.Ideally, there should be no more than three core values, and this will provide the blueprint for how decisions are to be made in service of the big vision.
Over communicate
With remote working on the rise, communication as a means of maintaining trust will continue to increase in importance.
It is vital for an agile business to identify challenges quickly and calmly. When navigating ongoing change management, anchor into “the why” - the big vision - and clarify how adjustments are being made in alignment with the values framework. This will embolden the extended team to find creative ways to have an individual impact.
Respect that you will need to communicate through a variety of mediums in order to facilitate an inclusive environment for all. This is not about the quickest/fastest path, it is about ensuring that each team member has the information they need to do their job and receives it in a manner that works for them. A culture of belonging will form and this will filter into external communication best practices.
After all… people do what you do; not what you say.
Your ability to weather the storms that inevitably stand in the face of your business will all come down to how quickly you are able to adapt. The world doesn’t wait for any of us, but that doesn’t mean we should be fearful of change!By taking the time to maximise business agility you will not only be cushioning your business from shocks, but also protecting your wellbeing - and that of your team.
