The Thing About Agility
Agility is a two-way street. And both the manager and the organization need to be agile.
An agile manager is every organization’s dream, especially in today’s fluid times. Business heads understand the need to develop this quality in their managers. They pour money into developmental programmes and workshops, firmly believing that these programmes will make the manager more agile. But the environment that their managers work in is equally important.
Let me explain.
Take the example of the Indian Hockey team. They were champions till the early 70s. Indians had grown up playing on natural grass. They were masters at the game and were winning medal after medal in the Olympics. Then along came Astroturf (a synthetic grass) and the Indian hockey lost its shine. Playing on Astroturf, a new surface, was very different from playing on grass. The Europeans outplayed India. We could not even pick up a bronze at the 1976 Olympics. The game had changed…for ever.
The solution seemed simple. Sports authorities/Management had to invest in AstroTurf pitches across the country so that the Indian players could learn to adapt their talent to the new surface. Talent was not enough. Astroturf pitches were needed so that players could practice and master the game. But at Rs 8.00 Cr per pitch, the cost was a hurdle. The authorities were very reluctant to invest. Indian players continued to play on natural grass. The rest, they say, is history.
It’s not very different in organizations. Leaders know they have the talent. They invest in the talent, but they do not invest enough in the more difficult thing – the pitch. The systems, procedures and processes that must change so that their managers can play a different game with ease.
You see, Agility is a two-way street.
Another thing about Agility.
A cheetah is agile on the plains of the Serengeti and it’s a beautiful sight to watch. It’s in the very DNA of the cheetah to be agile on the Serengeti as it is designed for it. Needless to say, a cheetah will not be agile on the slopes of the Kilimanjaro. You can bet on it being clumsy and awkward.
Managers face a similar situation. A manager who was agile
in yesterday’s environment may not be so in today’s environment. The eco system
is very different; it has changed dramatically. Yesterday’s agile manager could
now be looking clumsy and awkward.
Unlike a cheetah, where it’s all in the DNA, humans have a mind and a will. And therefore, the ability to change and adapt to the environment. The question for CEOs is: How fast can it be done?
Some managers will see the change coming and evolve and adapt on their own. Others may need support from a partner who can help them evolve so that they can reach their true potential. A coach can be effective in this role, helping the manager adapt to the new environment…faster.
First published in Linkedin on November 2020