How Using an Agile Approach Can Make You a Successful Leader in 2019
“Only the mediocre die always at their best. Real leaders are always improving —and raising their bar on how superbly they can perform and how quickly they can move.”
— Jean Giraudoux
The world is moving faster than ever, and to be a successful leader in 2019, you’ve got to move just as fast. It used to be that being staunch and unwavering were the qualities a solid leader was expected to have. While this may have been true once upon a time, effective leadership in modern times needs to be quite the opposite. A good leader in today’s world should possess different qualities, including the ability to think and act quickly as well as be adaptable, flexible, and therefore agile. Let’s take a closer look at how being agile can make you a successful leader in 2019.
Speed Leads to Success
Having speed on your side is critical if you want to achieve success. When you’re fast, you arrive first; and these days, everyone’s fighting to be first. Whether it be the first to launch an app, the reveal of a new product, or the first to recognize a problem within your organization, being fast in everything you do is essential on the road to success.
Creativity and Innovation Come Naturally
Being agile means being flexible, and this can reflect itself in a myriad of ways… a leader can be flexible with their team, for instance, by truly listening and staying open to new ideas. This integration and thought exchange encourages everyone on the team to communicate freely, thus inspiring novel ideas amongst each other. When creativity and innovation amongst co-workers are nurtured, your team will be unstoppable.
Use Inevitable Change for Your Gain
Adaptability is just one of the many perks that come with agility, and today’s leaders must be adaptable. When you’re unafraid to face the challenges that every day brings and when you understand that a solution from the past may not work in the future, you have the whole world in the palm of your hand. You may have racked up an impressive amount of experience on your path to leadership, but you can’t always rely on it. Always be open to growing and learning. Not only will it prevent your job from becoming mundane, but it will also allow you to become the kind of leader whose grace under pressure will inspire others.
Gone are the days when leaders were expected to be strong and firm like a rock. Think of your leadership approach as a rapidly flowing river, vibrant and fluid, always moving forward, tumbling over those rocks and leaving them in the past. Today’s leaders should be agile; encouraging integration, adaptability, flexibility, creativity, and innovation among teams and equipping them with tools needed for surefire success.
