Introduction
Is your business strategy already following Agile methods such as product vision, roadmaps, release planning, sprint planning, retrospectives and more? If so, then you probably think you are fine with just following these techniques and practices in your development projects. However, there can be a lot of disruptions in the workplace that can prevent your organization from truly expanding, growing and being as adaptive as it needs to be even with ‘being Agile.’
A major factor that can hamper your growth is having an outdated, inflexible strategy for your organization. While your projects may be Agile, your company may not be as flexible as it could potentially be and this may be due to a strategy that is no longer applicable for your organization.
So how can you make your business strategy Agile? Firstly, you need to determine the main anchors that define your company and take a look at if these anchors are being addressed in your organizational strategy.
Ask yourself these questions
- What is your organization’s purpose?
- Do you know your core competencies?
- What are your values?
- Does your current strategy align with all of these?
Agile Business Strategy
The world is rapidly changing and what may have worked for you and your business in the past may not be the same in the present and future. While the way you develop and deal with all aspects of your projects may follow Agile techniques, your approach to your strategy should also be the same. You need to develop new ways to adapt to the changing world so your business is not one step behind the curve or beat by competitors in your niche. Ways in which you can achieve this is by:
- Unbundling your organization
- Understanding change management
- Learning how to manage that change
- Being open to change
- Being able to adapt fluidly
The most important thing your strategy should define is what you are today to what you want to be tomorrow. Understand that things won’t always stay the same and be ready to take action when they change. Don’t miss important opportunities because you are resistant to change. Instead be Agile in your strategic methods by focusing on your vision and improvising and you will see your goals being achieved. Make sure that you have the right team in place who know and understand your strategic goals and can make it successful.
By following the steps outlined in the Agile Manifesto and its principles, these can guide you in planning and creating a strategy for your company that is as fluid as the agile development methods your organization follows.
References:
Bolles, G. (2017, August 23). Strategic Agility. Retrieved September 13, 2017, from https://www.lynda.com/Leadership-Management-tutorials/Strategic-Agility/602861-2.html
Leberecht, T., Bonchek, M., Vermeulen, F., & Wittenburg, M. R. (2016, November 04). Make Your Strategy More Agile. Retrieved September 14, 2017, from https://hbr.org/2016/10/make-your-strategy-more-agile
Parker Gates, L. (2012, March 05). Toward Agile Strategic Planning. Retrieved September 6, 2017, from https://insights.sei.cmu.edu/sei_blog/2012/03/toward-agile-strategic-planning.html