Cannes, FRANCE
90 percent of executives think Agile is critical to their competitive advantage.
Do they know something you don't?
What Agile is. And isn't.
Agile has evolved far beyond its origins. What began as a collective mindset for software teams has expanded into modern operating frameworks that support any organization, especially where making quick decisions, delivering customer value, and adapting to change are strategic priorities.
According to McKinsey, organizations that fully embrace Agile reduce time to market by at least 40 percent and improve operational performance by 30 to 50 percent. Employee engagement increases by 20 to 30 points. Financial performance improves by 20 to 30 percent. In fact, nine out of ten executives now rate organizational agility as critical to their competitive advantage.
Why are they so convinced about Agile?
Knowing is one thing. Acting on it is another.
When ING Bank convinced their 7,500 employees to adopt Agile, they took a huge risk. But it became one of the largest and most successful transformations in business history. User satisfaction increased by 20 percent in just the first year, with €1 billion in new annual deposits through digital channels since the transformation.
But it’s not just the Fortune 500 who have discovered Agile’s value. Top-performing companies in diverse industries all over the world know that in complex and unpredictable markets, adopting an Agile framework can create a measurable competitive advantage.
Unfortunately, many companies realize this too late.
The biggest risk isn’t failure. It’s standing still while others move.
In 2007 Nokia held a nearly 50 percent share of the global mobile phone market. By 2013 they barely had 3 percent. What led to this dramatic fall, when the company seemed well positioned for continued growth? An atmosphere of complacency and maintaining the status quo. Kodak and Blockbuster tell similar cautionary tales from other industries.
Organizations most at risk for failure are not the ones in crisis. They are the ones who lack the ability to adapt. Nokia engineers described a culture where fear discouraged employees from challenging decisions or sharing new ideas. When teams show a lack of curiosity and stop questioning how they work, growth and innovation atrophy. A company that cannot respond to rapid market changes will gradually lose their positioning.
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