Agility and Resilience:
Transforming an organisation is never an easy task, especially when competitive pressure becomes merciless. There always seems to be a faster, better, bolder, brighter business model emerging in the digital age: Asset-light and hyper-agile new businesses attack incumbents and fight for market space and customer attention. Competitive advantages erode even faster because (almost) everything can be copied. This digital business landscape demands different, agile and hyper-aware leaders and forces organisations to transform and adapt at an ever-increasing speed. But how much agility can one organisation generate? When does it become breathless activism? And how do agile leaders manage their energy and resources? Is it time to pair agility with resilience?
Agile leaders are, first and foremost, good learners. Research shows that the qualities of nimble leaders match traits associated with people who are successful in learning . Both have a clearly defined long-term aspiration that enables them to effectively manage short-term uncertainty. They are self-aware and do not become defensive when receiving feedback. Instead, they humbly acknowledge that others know more than they do and adjust their way of working and thinking. They remain curious and are willing to take risks, such as making a mistake or appearing non-expert in public. Their inquisitive mind keeps them ahead of the knowledge curve .
