Evolve or Erode: The Business Value in Agile

Understanding the importance of agility in business can be demonstrated with a simple $25 tool most of us have at home. The Swiss Army knife has established its reputation as a reliable multipurpose gadget, known for its innovation, flexibility, and usefulness in any situation.

Agility in business mirrors the power of the Swiss Army knife. A business’s success hinges on the entire enterprise’s ability to adjust, pivot, and stay resilient when change inevitably arrives. All arms of the company, from tech to marketing, must work together to achieve success.

What is business agility? What does agile mean in business?

Business agility is an organization’s ability to pivot quickly and smoothly, embracing change without losing focus. Most people associate agile with a company’s IT or technology teams; however, business agility extends beyond one arm of the enterprise.

Companies successfully demonstrating business agility work in a way where the entire enterprise flows together to execute a strategy. This applies to sales, marketing, operations, manufacturing and more. The entire company focuses on executing the same strategy using an adaptive approach to delivery. Business agility is about building capabilities and taking agile beyond technology.

What are the benefits of business agility?

Agile businesses tend to thrive in uncertain times. They foster innovation, adapt to market shifts, and stay one step ahead of competitors. Instead of merely staying afloat during disruption, they find new ways to grow and flourish. You’ll see their products thrive and their sales grow. Bottom line, they are equipped to respond to change.

How do you embody agile in business?

An agile culture is embedded into a foundation of adaptability and innovation. Organizations should continuously look for ways to improve their business agility and encourage teams to experiment without fear. Aligning teams across an organization is a strategy; not just a tactical move.

Review the following seven core competencies of business agility to understand how your organization stacks up.

What are the seven core competencies of business agility?

Understanding the seven core competencies of business agility is the key to mastering how to be agile in business and recognizing the business value in agile.

1. Customer Centricity

Businesses thrive when they put customers front and center. Too often, we forget who we’re serving. Prioritizing and adapting to customer needs lead to a better product.
Imagine you’re running a cafe. If your customers prefer oat milk over regular milk, you better have oat milk stocked. This small detail makes a big difference for your customers and, ultimately, your success. Actively seeking feedback also shows you care and it’s a smart business move. It’s not only about making changes but also about showing appreciation.

2. Adaptive Leadership

Adaptive leadership sits at the heart of a truly agile business. Most of us have experienced an unexpected deadline shift during a project or business change that doubles the scope overnight.When this happened to one of my teams, our leader remained calm and flexible. Any panic in the air fizzled, as our leadership guided us to adjust strategy.

Rigid dedication to a plan is not part of the adaptive leadership handbook. Adaptive leaders turn unexpected situations into opportunities, inspiring their team and finding creative solutions. Instead of having a fixed mindset, they rely on making diligent adjustments to a plan based on feedback. In fact, adaptive leadership requires that the teams are focused on accelerating the speed of learning. And while Facebook once used the motto, “Move fast and break things”, it’s really about creating a team that focuses on adapting by learning. They transform challenges into achievements and build a culture where change is embraced rather than feared, turning crisis into a triumph.

3. Innovative Culture

An environment supporting creativity and calculated risk-taking helps a company thrive. An innovative culture transforms routine work into an exciting journey toward discovery and progress.

Imagine a team where no idea is too wild to consider. This is the core of an innovative culture. When everyone feels safe to share their thoughts, unfiltered and without fear of judgment, magic happens. Unexpected ideas can spark groundbreaking initiatives.
Highlighting and rewarding innovative ideas keeps creativity flowing. Whether it’s a shoutout in a meeting or a small incentive, recognition fuels further creativity. Give your team the tools they need to experiment paired with autonomy, and watch how it leads to amazing outcomes.

4. Flexible Planning

Compare flexible planning to navigating a boat down a fast-moving river. You need a plan to get to your destination, but you can’t predict every twist and turn. You have to stay focused on your goal but be ready to adjust your course as the current changes.

Utilize similar anticipation and flexibility in your workplace. This might mean setting broad objectives while staying open to shifting tactics. If a campaign isn’t resonating with your audience, give your team the freedom to pivot. Analyze the data, gather feedback, and make a change.

When launching a product, for instance, set milestones and goals, but be prepared to tweak features based on user testing and feedback. This may require incorporating different social media platforms or a fresh content angle. The initial plan should not be set in stone.

5. Collaboration

Collaboration is the real superpower in business. When people work together, they can create amazing results. When businesses use business agility, you’ll start to see cross-functional teams collaborating across the enterprise. In fact, you’ll see teams-of-teams planning together and delivering together in unison toward a common goal.

Great examples of business agility will only reveal itself when projects don’t get stifled by departmental silos.Traditional management restricts cross-team collaboration and is often a cause for slowing decisions.

Open communication is the glue that holds teamwork together especially at scale. Companies that have teams which face a challenge, they talk openly about identifying solutions. Sharing ideas and listening to each other can spark creativity and innovation.

6. Continuous Learning

A mindset of continuous learning asks us to constantly seek improvement, adapt, and grow. When teams embody this way of thinking, every day turns into an opportunity to become stronger and more proficient.

Think of continuous learning like a flywheel in a motor. As the flywheel builds momentum, it stores energy and smooths out the delivery of power. Similarly, in business, each lesson learned and improvement builds momentum, propelling the organization toward greater efficiency and innovation.

Agile businesses embody this principle. While a proven framework or strategy provides a solid foundation, the true power comes from asking, “How can we make this better?” This question drives the adjustments and innovations that keep the flywheel turning.

Curiosity fuels this process. Explore new tools and strategies and embrace mistakes, which can turn into the friction that refines and strengthens the system. Like a well-tuned flywheel, continuous learning ensures agility and steady growth over time.

7. Technology Use

In today’s fast-changing world, businesses that embrace advanced technologies often gain a competitive edge. From AI to robotics, leveraging cutting-edge tools is no longer optional—it’s essential for enterprises that want to stay competitive.

AI-powered tools and automation are transforming industries across the board. In retail, automated inventory management systems use predictive analytics to anticipate demand and prevent overstocking or shortages. In healthcare, AI assists in diagnostics, enabling faster and more accurate treatments. Even in customer service, chatbots powered by natural language processing provide instant responses, enhancing customer satisfaction and cutting response times.

Automation takes care of repetitive tasks, freeing employees to focus on strategic, high-value work. CRM systems, for instance, provide actionable insights about customer preferences, while project management tools ensure seamless collaboration across teams.

Ask yourself where your team can benefit from tapping into new technologies. Teams that lean into evolving tech report streamlined operations, reduced costs, and improved products. Automation and innovation can help businesses outpace competitors still reliant on traditional methods, ultimately leapfrogging those who resist change.

Final Thoughts on the Importance of Agility in Business

Business value in agile soars beyond profits. Teams must continuously create value at all levels including customer satisfaction, employee engagement, and market relevance. When everyone in your organization understands and embraces agility, you create a business that’s ready for anything.

Like a Swiss Army knife, agility brings together multiple strengths, ready to handle any scenario. Embrace it, stay flexible, and watch your business thrive.