In a former life as an Independent Financial Adviser I remember that markets hate uncertainty hence the volatility in the stock market currently. How do you function as a leader when things look uncertainty when predictability had disappeared? There are things you can do to ensure your team and those you lead have confidence in your leadership even and especially when things have become unpredictable. Even in the middle of immense change some things don’t. The secret is to be agile.
Navigating a VUCA World
As a leader, you are operating in what military strategists call a VUCA environment:
- Volatile: Situations change rapidly and unpredictably, often for the worse
- Uncertain: Future events are increasingly difficult to predict
- Complex: Our world has become multifaceted, making understanding more challenging
- Ambiguous: Issues can be interpreted in multiple ways, making consensus elusive
To give you a sailing analogy: when the wind changes direction, you need to trim the sails so they can once again move the boat forward. Being agile in your leadership means a change of perspective. What got you here may not get you to where you want to be.
As President Dwight Eisenhower wisely noted, “Plans are worthless, but planning is everything.” Most battle plans don’t survive the first skirmish, and neither do rigid business strategies in today’s dynamic landscape.
What Makes Leadership Agile?
Jim Highsmith captures this perfectly: “Agility is the ability to adapt and respond to change… agile organizations view change as an opportunity, not a threat.”
Agile leadership means anticipating future needs, articulating those needs to build collective support, adapting responses based on continuous learning, and demonstrating accountability through transparent decision-making.
The faster you adopt an agile mindset, the better prepared you’ll be to make decisions that will navigate your team through the changes they’re facing.
Five Ways to Embody Agile Leadership
- Harness Collective Intelligence
All of us are smarter than one of us. In the day-to-day running of your business, tapping into the collective brainpower of your team is a game-changer. When faced with challenges, encourage open discussions where team members contribute their insights. Each person brings a unique perspective that can spark innovative approaches you might not have considered alone.
- Foster Meaningful Collaboration
As a busy leader, you’re constantly juggling different tasks. Don’t underestimate the momentum gained through effective collaboration. Create an environment where collaboration isn’t just the latest fad—it’s how you operate. Break down silos, promote cross-functional teamwork, and encourage your team to share expertise and collectively tackle challenges.
- Lead with Principles
In the day to day pressures of running your business, it’s easy to lose sight of core values. Agile leaders anchor their decisions in principles that guide every step. Define principles that align with your mission and vision and values. Whether it’s integrity, being customer-centric, or innovation, let these principles become your compass, ensuring your organisation stays true to its core amid rapid change. When you know your values, decision-making becomes easier.
- Model What You Expect
You’re not just a business owner, team leader or CEO—you’re the leader your team looks up to. Model the behaviours you want to see. If you value adaptability, demonstrate openness to change and willingness to pivot. If you preach collaboration, actively seek input and involve your team in decisions. Your actions set the tone for the entire organisation, and your team will mirror the energy and dedication you bring.
- Cultivate Agency, Not Just Empowerment
Move beyond simple empowerment to foster genuine agency. Give team members not just decision-making power but ownership of outcomes. Provide them with autonomy to experiment, learn, and grow. When employees feel a sense of agency, they’re not just executing tasks—they’re driving results. This sense of ownership fosters commitment and accountability, turning your team into a force that propels your business forward.
Practical Steps To Become More Agile
To develop your agile leadership capacity:
- Remain curious – Invest in your development to stay at the forefront of leadership thinking
- Shift from reactive to proactive – Ask more questions and develop guiding principles rather than providing all the answers
- Challenge your thinking – Read perspectives you disagree with and spend time with people who view things differently
- Seek diverse guidance – Connect with more experienced leaders and collaborate on shared challenges
- Build a creative team – Foster an environment where innovation and calculated risk-taking are encouraged
- Plan with flexibility – Set clear destinations but be willing to adjust your route as circumstances change
- Embrace vulnerability – Acknowledge when you find uncertainty challenging, which gives your team permission to contribute their strengths toward collective solutions
In this faster-paced, uncertain world, agile leadership can be your compass. It helps you harness collective intelligence, foster collaboration, stay rooted in principles, set the right example, and cultivate agency within your team. Consider how you could embrace these agile principles and witness their impact on your business success.
The key in all of this is to know yourself. Want to know more? Then do get in touch.
Photo by marianne bos on Unsplash
