FountainBlue’s July 15 Front Line Managers Online program on the topic of ‘Embracing an Agile Mindset’. Please join me in thanking our panelists.
- as a Business Leader – Louise Lamb, Coupa
- as a Program Leader – Mona Hudak, Cisco
- as an Engineering Leader – Pooja Agrawal, Renesas
Our Agility panelists represented a wide range of roles, organizations and backgrounds, but they have much in common:
- They navigated their career with agility and grace.
- They build deep networks and relationships which transcend roles, organizations and opportunities.
- They embrace challenges as opportunities and stalwartly march forward to learn and grow, facilitating success for their teams, their products, and their organizations.
- They are passionate and eloquent communicators who enjoy sharing their wisdom and advice.
Below is a compilation of best practices on how to embrace agility.
Be Strategic
- Be purposeful and intentional about what you do and why you do it.
- Be open about the challenges in front of you and inclusive and collaborative as you address them head-on.
- Welcome opportunities to fail quickly, and to fail forward, learning what to-do and what not-to-do along the way.
Manage Through Change
- Align everyone to a common purpose, but be open about HOW each person or group might implement/perform their tasks.
- Focus on your performance, but also on the perception others have of you, and the politics which may complicate your ability to perform well.
- Accept that change will always happen, and be positive and constructive when facing these changes.
- Focus on delivering the business imperatives as you integrate changes.
Overcome Obstacles to Change
- Identify and address the root causes for the problems and challenges in front of you.
- Encourage everyone to be resourceful problem-solvers and data-centered decision-makers.
- Break problems into smaller pieces so that you don’t boil the ocean.
Overcome Objections to Change
- Distinguish between practical and emotional resistance to change so that you can better manage the adoption of necessary changes.
- Be empathetic and supportive to people who are change-resistant, and provide training, support and information so that they can better accept change.
- Be patient and persistent and positive as you agilely manage others through change.
- Be positive, dynamic and proactive as you lead through change.
Change is a constant, but agilely and resourcefully responding to the need for change will help yourself and your team deliver business results which satisfy customers.
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