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In business today, as never before, there is a need for agility and action.

In decades past, businesses had the luxury of making decisions and moving at a more measured pace. Before the internet, research and development took longer. In-person meetings took more time to plan and required more logistics. Manufacturing automation existed, but not to the levels of today. Communications were more measured and less immediate.

Fast forward to today, and it is clear that organizations have had to incorporate agility and action to high levels, just to maintain pace with technology, competition, and consumer demand.

This has been an advantage for entrepreneurs and small businesses in recent years, who innately have the capacity for being more agile and who can take quick action. It is a lesson that larger organizations began to learn from their more nimble, though smaller, counterparts.

Fostering a Culture of Agility and Action

In this period of high productivity, consider how you can foster a culture of agility and action in your organization.

Clear the Path

Clutter causes friction. You can’t move forward quickly if you are blocked by a vast array of dead-end projects, unrealized initiatives, and stalled decisions. Regularly gather your team together to review the loose ends that inevitably accumulate in any business. Ask one question: “Keep it or let it go?” And, yes, it is okay to let a goal or project go if it has been displaced by a better opportunity or is no longer relevant.

Explore the Options

This is where agility comes into play in a big way. You want to develop a team who knows what is important to keep in place for stability but one that is also open to exploring new options and methodologies. You want a team that challenges the status quo. Does something need to be automated? Is there a better way to do accomplish the goal? Is there a creative solution to a lingering problem? Where are there opportunities for efficiency?

Make the Decision

Research and due diligence are important. And it is also important to come to a point of decision. Where a decision is pending, determine if it requires more time or if it just needs a push to reach a decision point. Create in advance decision-making guidelines to help expedite the process. Give your team members authority to make decisions that can and should be made at their level.

Take the Action

Once the clutter is cleared away and the decision-making process is flowing well, it is time to determine a solid action plan. This is where you follow the typical “Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How” framework.

“Who” is first because, if you have the right person, they can help determine the other factors, thus freeing your time as a leader. And if you allocate resources well, they can do it in a very agile fashion.

This is where knowing the strengths of your team can help create quick action.

• You will know, for instance, that a particular initiative requires someone who is swift, driven, and decisive. It may be a tight deadline or a crisis type of situation. A “D-wired” leader will be able to quickly assess the situation and direct action.
• You may need to run a marketing campaign. This is where the creativity, innovation, and people skills of an “I-wired” leader can get immediate traction.
• You may need an operating system and processes to support the business foundationally. This is where an “S-wired” leader can step in, create order from chaos, and begin to identify income losses and opportunities.
• You may need to turn around a manufacturing issue, creating a higher-quality product and lessening the rates of returned items. Your “C-wired” leader can quickly plot a direct plan of action from Point A to Point B, research, propose an efficient path toward production, and create a plan for quality control.

As you finish out the year, a quick reset may help you push forward faster. And as you plan the new year, designing with this plan in mind can set you, your team, and your organization up for greater success.

For valuable resources on Leadership Strengths and Tools, click here.

Deb Ingino is a highly sought-after executive coach, mentor, consultant, and speaker worldwide. Deb is well versed in business operations and in the importance of asking key questions most business leaders won’t ask themselves. She brings deep experience in leadership development, strategy, high performance team building and effective communication. She has a passion for leading people to discover and maximize their strengths as well as those of fellow team members, while offering advanced strategies to achieve high performance. Deb is the perfect fit if you’re ready to take your leadership and impact to the next level!