Are you using Agility correctly in your organization?

According to agilebusiness.org, Agility is the ability of an organisation to:

1) Adapt quickly to market changes - internally and externally.

2) Respond rapidly and flexibly to customer demands.

3) Adapt and lead change in a productive and cost-effective way without compromising quality.

If we reverse this definition, it becomes clear that Agility is not the following:

1) Adapt slowly to market changes - both internally and externally.

2) Respond slowly and inflexibly to customer demands.

3) Preserve the status quo and refuse to change resulting in increased costs and compromised quality.

Take some time to review both definitions and have an honest look at where your business falls between the two.

• Is your company partially agile where you react quickly to market changes but dig your heels in when a customer wants more?

• Does your company respond to the customer's every demand while ignoring that you don't have the infrastructure to support those demands?

• Is your company compromising product or service quality in the pursuit of perceived short-term gains?

If you see some familiar items in the reverse definition, here are some ideas to get back on track:

- Be enthusiastically open to changes that are cost-effective and do not harm the business. You may be surprised how many ideas are floating around that would have a positive impact on your business and aren't being implemented.

- Take a comprehensive look at your existing infrastructure. Determine if employees are stretched too thin or are working at optimum levels. Remove barriers to productivity when possible.

- Communicate and align every department and individual employee to the same business goals.

Now that you know what agility is and what it is not, what will you do to achieve your agility goals?