Wiring your organisation for agility

Survival belongs to the fittest, and those who can adapt quickly often come out on top. The constant demand for speed is real, whether it’s new compliance to keep on top of or technology taking a leap. Change, both internal and external, hits us in bursts, creating two kinds of organisations: The quick and the dead

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on Connections Online

The relentless pursuit of speed leaves no room for complacency. Every new development in compliance, technology or otherwise demands a shift in your organisation. But here’s the conundrum—how do you adapt consistently and effectively?

People respond to change in diverse ways. The result is a lack of clarity and confidence in the organisation’s direction. Inconsistent messages from senior management only magnify this confusion as they filter down through the organisation like a lever in reverse.

What’s needed is a more sophisticated nervous system that connects the different parts (or people) and provides strategic understanding and direction. Imagine a general in the heat of battle—constantly receiving and disseminating information to the troops, ensuring everyone knows their role and what to do, and responding immediately to changes in the enemy’s position or tactics.

However, organisations often fall short in conditioning themselves to respond promptly to the multiple stimuli they continually receive. The nervous systems are often as slow as the first personal computers introduced over a decade ago, but the cycle of change and response is now much shorter, requiring a more immediate reaction.

So, what’s the solution? It lies in sharpening your communication channels and developing processes that tie everyone in your organisation together with knowledge, understanding, support, and direction. It’s essentially a people thing and a vision thing.

Picture it as a dance of information where giving people information is a sign of respect. Respect leads to trust, and in a trusting environment, anything is possible. It all starts with creating perpetual pathways for information—a concept that it’s time to get wired.

The wiring diagram: A blueprint for connection

Sharing information, ideas, and expectations, providing assistance through coaching and training, and shaping behaviour through feedback, recognition, and development—all of these contribute to a climate of mutual support. It might sound tough, but in reality, it’s quite simple, and simplicity is its own reward.

Think of it as a wiring diagram—a constant process that connects often disparate elements in today’s organisation. While much of this might not be new, the linkages and holistic view are innovative.

The best organisations are those that establish a vision and values, define goals, set priorities, and know how to measure results. They have a flexible organisational structure that serves their needs and establishes teams. This all falls under the umbrella of strategic thinking, the foundational work you need to do before getting into the nitty-gritty.

People are generally willing to go along with a plan when they understand it and feel a part of it. The breakdown happens during implementation. You might communicate an annual plan in January, but if you don’t inform them about the turns and twists along the way, it all becomes obsolete.

Sharpening communication channels and creating perpetual pathways for information, is the essential wiring needed for organisations to navigate the intricate path of constant evolution and strategic implementation.