Blog Post
Stay agile, stay competitive - tips on how to reach business agility
Brian Tracy once said, “be clear about your goal but be flexible about the process of achieving it.”
This quote applies perfectly to the times we are currently facing, as many individuals and businesses have seen their realities disrupted by unexpected changes. And not any changes, but severe alterations to routines that include new sudden governmental policies and the adoption of a hybrid business model, among others.
Therefore, these are crucial times to showcase business agility, defined as the art and practice of gaining and maintaining competitive advantage through rapid, continuous, systematic, and evolutionary adaptation and innovation.
Some leaders and organizations have a natural disposition to modernization and flexibility. Others tend to hold back, fearing where the uncertainty of transformation may lead them. Hence, as a reminder for the bravest and motivation to the most over conscious, we prepared a shortlist of best practices to achieve business agility.
(Re)Define your goals
If you own a business, you own a vision. It means being able to see what your organization will look like in the future, which, for as abstract as it may sound, is actually a very practical approach. When you dream, you have a series of thoughts, aspirations, ideals in your mind. When you see, instead, you can create a clear mental image of your project, allowing you to individuate the best strategies to translate into reality. The more time you dedicate to your vision, the more you understand allocating your resources and organizing each department.
Never stop defining your goals; even after years of growth and success, you should always take the time to assess your achievements and visualize new ones!
Value your team
Your team should be an active part of goal achievement. You need your partners and collaborators to align with your vision and strategies, and you should strive to support them with the most efficient tools.
Encourage, inspire, and reward them when needed to create a positive environment. This is particularly important when times of change come, as you need motivated and focused people around you to go through the transformation process.
Delegate and allocate
An agile business leader knows when to commission work to someone else. For example, your workload increased, and you need an assistant; the business is venturing into a new field, and specialized workers are needed; or you opened a new department, and a trusted figure to manage it is required. Whatever is your necessity, remember to stay productive and delegate if necessary. However, be conscious about your moves. You must allocate your resources wisely without wasting them. Individuating the best areas you need to invest in is essential for an agile business structure.
Monitor
Keeping track of each move is mandatory in every business. However, it is even more fundamental to scrutinize your progress when your business is transforming. Create a monitoring plan and nominate trusted people to follow up with advancements alongside yourself. Do not get discouraged if you do not see the expected results immediately but keep adjusting to turn your vision into reality!
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