Agile working is not always easy. "You have to change" is heard from various corners. But the fact that this may not always happen so quickly is quickly forgotten. With this article, we take a closer look at the topic of challenges in agile work.
Market pressure is growing, the pace of change is increasing. The shift from a traditional way of working to agile is riddled with challenges. People in different roles are confronted with different challenges. Therefore, we systematically address different levels and their challenges:
Before that, we'll give you an overview of what changes when you suddenly work in an agile way. What is the agile transformation all about?
With the beginning of the 21st century it has struck: the agility hour. Many organizations want and need to adapt and are jumping on the agility wave to keep up in the rapidly changing environment. Compared to the classic working style, this brings changes:
The larger the company, the more complicated an agile transformation often turns out to be
Depending on the size of the company, an agile transformation can proceed differently. It is often the case that small organizations, such as start-ups, find it relatively easy to adopt an agile approach, whereas larger organizations often find it more difficult, partly because they still think and act more hierarchically. A common stumbling block in the course of agile transformation is the agile mindset that is not yet in place. Organizations often scale agile work too quickly, burning resources and experiencing disappointment.
TIP: A cultural change takes time and should take place step by step and be professionally accompanied. It is better to start small and learn quickly than to start too big..
What is the situation for managers and what challenges do they face? As described at the beginning, not only the role descriptions change in the agile way of working, but also the understanding of one's own work. For a manager, this usually means that he or she must learn to let go at the appropriate points.
TIP: Keep in mind that you give the team more responsibility and thus contribute to employee satisfaction. If you are satisfied, you are usually more motivated. The trust in the team will mature and you will also enjoy your freedom, because you can concentrate on other tasks.
TIP: At best, take on a coach or sparring partner yourself to experience how good it can feel to accompany and empower people on their way to their own solutions. It's worth starting with yourself here.
It is also a big change for the employees. The many new terms and concepts that are thrown at you can cause a great deal of confusion at first. In particular, however, the following stumbling blocks often cause employees difficulties at the beginning:
TIP: Stay calm. Especially in an agile culture, mistakes are allowed. Because they can contribute to learning and thus the pressure that may arise from responsibility is manageable.
TIP: Always remember the positive effects of feedback and experience them. You have a team behind you and are not solely responsible or have to show what you have done or not done on your own. That would miss the agile mindset.
What other challenges can arise during an agile transformation?
TIP: Of course, a relearning process at the beginning means a loss of speed, because you haven't developed a routine yet. But again, be patient and keep at it, because you will soon see that agile working enables you to achieve top performance with reduced stress.
TIP: Whether you are in an agile or conventional unit, communication and (knowledge) sharing help break down biases and generate understanding.
TIP: If a rule really doesn't work for you, change it! Nothing is set in stone in agile. Once the agile mindset is in place, the exact rules and methods are important, but secondary.
The motto is to try it out: be transparent, communicate openly, but courageously embark on the new adventure and learn to swim in the agile current - after all, there is a lot to gain, e.g. self-determination and joy in effectiveness 😊
If you would like support in this, please contact our service line Timmermann Partners. In addition, our specially developed ChApp (Timmermann Change-App) offers divsere courses and content. Find out more about the ChApp here.
We will be happy to help you in a non-binding initial consultation and determine together how we can best support you and your organization.