Agile methodology started in information technology as a group of attitudes to boost performance. But more and more companies in other areas of business are taking on lessons and concepts from the Agile mindset to boost their own growth. After implementing Agile ideas, companies see growth in productivity, job satisfaction, and profits. So what sets it apart, and how can we use lessons from it to boost our own companies?
Agile environments focus on respect, collaboration, coordination, learning cycles, and innovation. These key components will be the foundation of your company’s adoption of the mindset.
Respect
In an Agile organization, we expect respect and it flows in all directions. We should value everyone in the team from bottom to top, and they should give and receive respect. On top of this, we should cultivate a sense of respect for the product and the company should. In this way, teams enjoy a sense of value in what they create and achieve.
Collaboration
Traditional corporations often thrive on departments having their own separate goals and leadership. Often ‘one hand does not know what the other is doing’. This is a negative for productivity. The Agile mindset thrives on open and constant collaboration and intercommunication. Everyone in every part of the business should be well informed and educated about all aspects of the business.
Learning Cycles
Agile organizations recognize that failure is part of progress. We encourage all members of the team to keep learning, and to ‘fail forwards‘. When we empower people to learn from their failure rather than suffer for it, we achieve innovation.
Agile is not something that we adopt in a company overnight. It’s an ongoing journey to adapt and change in the face of new challenges. All companies need adaptability and elasticity in the face of current market volatility.