Agility is essential for navigating challenges, seizing opportunities, and fostering a productive work environment. The exercise below offers a framework for discussing agility with others, helping to build alignment and enhance the success of change initiatives.
The Importance of Discussing Agility
Agility is the capacity to swiftly and flexibly adjust to changing circumstances. Although it can be challenging, agility is essential for success and can be developed with the right mindset and environment.
People’s attitudes toward change can vary, as each person tends to have their own preferred strategies for managing it.
Likewise, the effects of organizational changes can vary widely among individuals, influenced by a range of factors.
For companies to thrive, agility must be present not only in individuals but also collectively across teams. Since some people handle change more easily than others, fostering open conversations about perceptions and feelings toward change can reduce discomfort and build alignment. This approach helps the business stay competitive and enhances workplace well-being.
Guiding Change Through Addressing Concerns
Whether change is intentional, like implementing new work methods, or unexpected due to market shifts, it can disrupt certainty and stability. When expectations shift, feelings of fear may arise, potentially impacting performance.
Change ambassadors must be adept at addressing the stress and anxiety others may experience in the face of uncertainty, enabling employees to thrive amid evolving circumstances.
Infusing Agility into the Conversation
For change to be effective, those leading it must offer their full support.
This requires both individual and group reflection, as each part of the system plays a crucial role in the whole and must ultimately work together as one cohesive unit.
To ease transitions and streamline the process, facilitating an open conversation about agility with those directly involved in implementing change can be valuable. The following exercise provides a step-by-step framework for structuring a group discussion.
The exercise
This exercise aims to deepen understanding of how others perceive change and interpret agility. It serves as an initial step in a series of interventions designed to build group alignment, helping individuals feel more prepared to embrace changes and adopt new ways of working.
Use these discussion prompts and open-ended questions to facilitate a group reflection on agility:
- How do you feel about change?
- What does agility look like to you in practice?
- How can we better prepare for change?
- How can we improve in identifying factors within our control?
- What would help us make decisions more comfortably during uncertain times?
- How did you react the last time you encountered a major change?
- What support or resources do you need to be agile?
- What do you need to manage stress effectively?
- What do you need to truly thrive?
- Is there a helpful belief about change that can anchor you through uncertainty?
Final tips
Your role in this discussion is to act as a reflection partner. Instead of providing advice, this exercise focuses on using thoughtful questions to help others achieve insights in their own thinking and develop a deeper understanding of their unique attitudes and beliefs.
The insights from this session can guide you in planning next steps and co-creating action plans with those involved. It also serves as a strong foundation for deeper conversations you may wish to explore further with your coach.