The role of the executive team in an agile transformation

Anyone who has spent a few years in companies knows that the actions and behaviours of leaders influence and somehow dictate acceptable behaviours and actions throughout the organization. This influence is amplified when the company wishes to reinvent itself and take steps towards greater organizational agility.

The active and constant support of the management team is a key success factor. Thus, for an organizational transformation to succeed, it must necessarily start with the executive team.

Despite their extensive experience, members of executive teams do not necessarily have all the skills required to effect an organizational transformation. Executive team coaching involves providing the support, the tools and a framework for leaders to reinvent the DNA of their organization. Like a sherpa who guides and supports the expedition of a group of climbers who wish to climb the heights of the Himalayas, our role is to prepare the route, provide the tools and avoid the traps associated with an organizational agile transformation.

Reinventing the organization has become a requirement for many companies

For many organizations, it is becoming increasingly difficult to thrive in a constantly changing environment. Survival often depends on a fundamental transformation in the way things are done. While those who succeed in this transition obtain exceptional performances, the others find themselves in a precarious situation or a long period of agony.

One of the challenges of executive teams is to transform their organization accustomed to operating in a relatively stable and predictable environment towards an organization quickly adaptable to a constantly changing reality. The challenge is not only to evolve a well-established organizational structure towards a living organism that quickly adapts to its environment, but to change the mindsets and behaviours of all – while continuing its current activities.

The contribution of the executive team coach

Executive teams who want to make their teams more efficient and more agile may not be able to quickly, effectively and permanently change the behaviour of employees and managers. We have noticed that despite investments in agile approaches over the years, companies are not getting the desired benefits of agility, leaders are failing to reinvent their organization for the 21st century.

To reinvent organizations, executive teams must make changes in a disciplined manner. To shape the new agile culture, leaders must first work on their abilities and behaviours to be authentic models of new mindsets and ways of doing things.