Implement an agile strategy for success

Hunt For Greatness

Milton Kamwendo

STRATEGIC PLANNING and execution build greatness. To be effective, strategy should not just be an annual show.

In the book “Agile Strategy”, Ralph Fernando offers a dynamic framework that blends stability with agility and facilitates building strategically while staying adaptable. This is essential in creating resilient and flexible strategies.

An agile strategy is a shift from the rigid and linear methods of traditional strategic planning. It emphasises flexibility, rapid iteration and building on feedback.

The traditional strategy sometimes frustrates people, especially when unexpected changes and shocks take place.

This has left other people thinking that strategy planning no longer works.

An agile strategy helps organisations remain focused on long-term objectives while continuously adjusting to new information, emerging risks and opportunities.

An agile strategy balances stability and adaptability. Stability comes from following a clear mission and values. Adaptability comes from adjusting to a daily emerging battleground, market conditions and the shifting context.An agile strategy has four main pillars: vision and direction; data-driven decisions; short-term goals and iteration; and empowered teams. These pillars provide a roadmap for building a strategy that can evolve over time without compromising core objectives.

Vision and direction

The starting point for any agile strategy is a clear and compelling vision.

This vision acts as a North Star.

It guides every strategic choice and adjustment to be made. It ensures that short-term adaptations align with long-term aspirations.

Set a clear direction of travel, instead of prescribing every step.

Articulate the purpose, values and objectives in a way that is understood at every level. The Bible encourages us to articulate clear visions when it states: “Then the Lord answered me and said ‘Write the vision and make it plain on tablets. That he may run who reads it’.” A clear vision creates coherence.

Specific tactics may shift but the vision remains stable. This allows for experimentation and innovation within a shared understanding of the picture of success.

Data-driven decision-making

An agile strategy relies heavily on data to inform decisions. The quality of data and ability to analyse it affects the strategic steering.

Real-time data provides an insight into customer behaviour, market trends and effectiveness of current strategies.

Data allows an organisation to pivot quickly in response to new developments. Move from a state of being data-blind. In many organisations, data is stuck in silos or various systems. In other organisations, there is no respect for data. Data is the new oil. Set systems for continuous data collection and analysis.

This will give you a comprehensive view of the environment, making strategic steering an informed exercise. Guard against analysis paralysis, which delays decision-making.

Data helps inform decisions.

Make timely adjustments, rather than waiting for perfect information.

In an agile strategy, decisions are made quickly, reviewed regularly and adjusted as new data comes in.

Embrace iteration

Set short-term goals and embrace iteration.

Vision provides long-term direction, while short-term goals facilitate progress in incremental steps.An agile strategy breaks down big goals into achievable, measurable steps that can be completed in short seasons or sprints.

These could be days, weeks or months.

The short-term milestones help test strategies on a smaller scale, learning from outcomes and refining the plans continuously. This reduces the risks associated with large-scale strategic shifts.

Small incremental steps are better than one long jump into the pool of the unknown. Iteration is fundamental to an agile strategy.Each iteration is an opportunity to test assumptions, gather insights and make informed adjustments. You do not wait for all traffic lights to be green before driving off; you improve as you go. Perfection is a process and not an event.

In an agile strategy, failure is viewed as feedback rather than a setback.

Each “failed attempt” is a precious steering lesson. This makes innovation and experimentation a way of life.

Empower teams to drive strategy

When using an agile strategy, empowering teams is important. Instead of relying on a centralised top-down approach, an agile strategy distributes decision-making power across teams. This allows teams closest to the customers or on the frontlines to make decisions based on real-time information and direct insights into market needs.

Empowering teams involves granting them the authority, resources and accountability to experiment and adjust strategies within their areas of responsibility. For this to work, teams need clear objectives, indicators and parameters to operate effectively. They should have the flexibility to determine the best tactics for achieving those objectives. Empowerment improves responsiveness and fosters a sense of ownership and motivation among team members. Enable frontline teams to act quickly and thoughtfully, to be more responsive and deliver agile customer experience.

An agile strategy is a cultural shift that values adaptability, collaboration and resilience.

As a leader, you play a vital role in cultivating this culture by modelling agile principles, encouraging innovation and maintaining open lines of communication.

Allow feedback to flow freely and genuinely listen to people.

Train to help embed the culture and agile ways. Agile organisations are built for resilience. An agile strategy prepares you to respond quickly and effectively to unexpected events. You carry into your game the sportsperson’s mindset. You set a game plan and train for any eventualities. In the game itself, you react and respond to the dynamics of the match; always with a goal to play to win.

At times, it means quickly changing formation or roles. Sports are an example of an agile strategy in action.

Committed to your greatness!

Milton Kamwendo is a leading international transformational and motivational speaker, author and accomplished workshop facilitator. He is a cutting-edge strategy, team-building and organisation development facilitator and consultant. He can be reached at: mkamwendo@gmail.com