What Does it Mean to be an Agile Leader?
An agile leader is an adaptable one.
They are exceptional, and their leadership skills allow them to take actions that lead to great solutions.
As an ever-evolving society, someone in a leadership position needs to have a proactive approach to how they lead.
Principles of an agile leader
The core principles of an agile leader are what set them apart from other leaders in their field.
They reflect on their options to take the best course of action, and often believe that actions speak louder than words.
They lead by example, hoping that others will model themselves in a way that reflects their leadership.
They are the change they want to see in their companies and organisations.
Agile leaders also have an improved quality of thinking, which leads to improved outcomes.
They recognise the value of creating space to consider all of the possibilities and outcomes of a problem, before taking action to create a solution.
This isn’t easy, considering the hectic lifestyle of a leader, but their prioritisation of critical decisions is what makes them an agile leader. They analyse, and they adapt.
An agile leader knows that their organisation can improve and be more effective through the use of good feedback.
They encourage feedback for their own actions and are advocates for giving employee feedback as often as possible.
They want their workplace to be a safe environment where staff members can learn and grow in their positions.
Leaders often find themselves too busy to run their organisation as they’d like to, but an agile leader represents an approach that allows the leader to incorporate themselves with the rest of the company’s working body, enhancing the creativity of the people they lead, and attempting to understand what motivates them as individuals.
Why agile leaders are so effective
One of the most powerful ways to demonstrate agility in the workplace is for a leader to show how much they value their team’s contribution.
An agile leader does this by taking measures to understand what their team needs from them while they’re working together.
When a leader engages their team, they show that they care about the team’s well-being and want to help them be a more productive workforce.
In leadership, agility implies a commitment to change and the capability to properly communicate. Agile leaders don’t sacrifice the standard of their work for speed – quite the opposite, in fact.
An agile leader spends their time listening, learning, and adapting to every situation.
In addition, agile leaders are not afraid to let go of working practices that don’t work. If they’re working on a project, and their solution fails, they will move on to another solution.
They constantly challenge their own assumptions so that they can meet the needs of the present.
Agile Leadership vs. Good Leadership
A good leader may not be an agile leader. The differences between an agile leader and a good leader lie within leadership style and the willingness to be more agile in their organisation.
Agile leaders are willing to expand their capacity and capability to be adaptable.
Though a good leader will still be sufficient at their job, they may not interact with their employees as much as an agile leader will. Agile leaders will be found outside of their offices quite regularly, and they are quick to give their team feedback and praise on projects.
Some leaders may have command and control of their leadership style, but they may not be as adaptable. This does not mean they are a bad leader, just that they work differently to agile leaders.
