-
What we doPersonal development
- Accelerating your impact
- Leadership for young people
- Navigating transitions
- Boosting collaboration
- All programmes
-
Social campaignsSocial campaigns
Taking a stand on social issues. Join us in investing for a better future
Read moreCurrent campaigns -
ImpactEvidence
-
AboutLocations
Common Purpose
/
18 June 2024
Navigating Agility As A Senior Leader
For senior leaders, you might assume that the skill of agility, and navigating it in the workplace is old hat. But for many people, the practice of agility actually becomes a lot more complex as they become more senior.
Agility is a crucial trait that a leader should not only possess but use to navigate uncertainties and challenges in their world – it ultimately helps them to drive positive change, adapt to new environments, and innovate. For senior leaders, you might assume that the skill of agility, and navigating it in the workplace is old hat. But for many people, the practice of agility actually becomes a lot more complex as they become more senior.
Why? Because as we become more established, knowledgeable, and comfortable in our work, we naturally become more set in our ways, cemented in routines and methods that we know work well, often in lieu of taking a risk or trying something a little different.
Because of this, it’s important that senior leaders remember to keep practising agility and to test the different ways it can benefit them in their roles. Here, we unpack five ways to navigate it.
A growth mindset is key
Obstacles and setbacks get a bad rap, especially in the workplace, but the simple act of switching the way you think about them, and seeing them as opportunities for growth and resilience can change everything about the way you work.
By being open to setbacks, and even failure, you enable an environment where risk-taking is not necessarily a scary thing, instead, it’s an opportunity to make something bigger and better. If the risk pays off, great. If it doesn’t, use that knowledge to inform the next thing you do – that’s agility in a nutshell!
Create communicative, collaborative cultures
Fact: When people feel comfortable speaking up and sharing their unique insights, innovation and creativity can thrive. As a senior leader, it’s up to you to create an environment where this can happen.
Introducing regular meetings, town halls, or opportunities to share feedback – be it in person or online – you’re enabling a culture where ideas and information can flow freely. The trick here is to then take these insights on board and bring them into your work and management as a senior leader. Leveraging the intelligence of a collective will take you much further than relying on one voice.
Be flexible
As mentioned above, it’s easy to become set in your ways, and comfortable with specific ways of working – especially the longer you are in your role. But agility cannot exist without stepping outside of your comfort zone and into the unknown, even just for a little while.
As a senior leader, try to be an example by opening up opportunities for others to make autonomous decisions, adapt their approaches, and test new ways of working if the time calls for it. Yes, it might create more work in the short term, and it might feel uncomfortable as the things you always knew begin to evolve and change – but remember that these small changes now might make a world of difference in the future.
Lead the way for others
It’s just as important to be agile as a senior leader as it is to be agile as a brand-new starter in the industry – so lead by example and illustrate what agility actually looks like! Be positive in your language when it comes to discussing change, and always be open to new perspectives and insights from your colleagues.
Adopting these behaviours to become part of your leadership DNA will set a great example for others to embrace difference and change in their roles.
Upskill, upskill, upskill
Investing in your own learning and development, as well as giving others the opportunity to do the same will open the door to new, and more effective ways of working. Industry conferences, professional workshops, or partaking in relevant online courses can be a great way to test your own abilities and beliefs, and they can also help you keep up with new trends and developments in your industry. Allow these new perspectives to help guide your own work, and encourage and support others on your team to partake in these opportunities too.
At the end of the day, agility isn't an end goal — it’s a never-ending goal, one that all leaders should always be chasing.
