Train for agility
How common is it to shoot from the hip with the good ole ready, fire, aim approach, in an attempt to move quickly? How often do we become frustrated and bogged down with a process for the sake of a process? How do we recognize when structure limits agility, but not delude ourselves into thinking “agility” translates to no structure or defined method for improvement?
In sports performance, agility can be defined as having the ability to process information at a rate for the body to change position quickly without a significant loss in speed. Moreover, efficiency in movement. Therefore, to improve agility, your muscles must be trained through proper progression in order to prevent injury and advance an athlete’s training. A simple example is to learn proper movement for starting, stopping and changing direction. Once proficiency is obtained, an intermediate phase can be developed to increase the speed at which these movements are performed, until finally advancing to a level that incorporates reaction and response training.
Alright, so you’ve heard this fitness nut’s pitch, now lets see how we can relate this to you and your organization. I recently read a CIO.com article called “Bimodal IT: A steppingstone to agility”(Jan. 26, 2017). In this article the writer comments on a strategy from Gartner highlighting two differing models that have emerged in the business/IT environment. The writer describes model 1 as the “slow-safe” mode composed of the back office systems like HR, Accounting and payroll. Then, the writer goes on to describe model 2 as the “fast-risky” mode making up systems of engagement. Any issues with these business critical applications and you’re likely to get some ticked off customer calls or nasty emails filled with heavy use of “rage” emoji’s from upset sales and marketing folks. The writer goes on to make a plea for organizations to “not compromise” agility for stability, as he outlines key steps in the progression towards whole house agility. The writer is not faulting structure in and of itself, but he is rightly challenging us all to think of structure as a tool to enable us to deliver for our customers, not some immovable object that will prevent us from being agile enough to keep up with the pace of change.
As the article points out, there is no question organizations need to move more quickly and effectively in order to stay relevant. Additionally, organizations must put together a winning product and service mix in order to sit on top of the proverbial competitive advantage hill for more than a moment of time. If we (and yes, taking my own advice here) could adjust our thinking and approach to organizational agility with beginner movements, learn proper “movement mechanics” of starting, stopping and changing direction before advancing to increasing the speed of these movements, I think we could find ourselves more adept in our reaction and total response time to those influences impacting our success. Therefore, a team, unit, or organization develops efficiency in movement when you are prepared to perform.
If you have curiosity into details of the transition steps outlined in the article I referenced, I’ve included the link below. If you’d like to know how to get your organization on a performance track to agility, contact us and we will help you Make It Flow!
http://www.cio.com/article/3157003/agile-development/bimodal-it-a-steppingstone-to-agility.html
-Matt