In 2020, we witnessed how COVID-19 brought the world to a standstill. Businesses had to quickly pivot to survive – changing our ways of working forever.
The pandemic is just one of the many challenges in today’s ever-changing business landscape. More importantly, organisations realised the need for agility to navigate future threats that may be bigger than what we have seen so far. To do so, bureaucracy and working in silos are shackles that organisations are working hard to shed.
Enter the agile mindset concept. A way of thinking that involves understanding, collaborating, learning, and staying flexible to achieve high-performing results.
This is not a new concept per se. It is rooted in the principles of the Agile Manifesto, which originated from software development companies. It emphasises collaboration, flexibility, and importantly, iterative progress. It creates a culture and way of working that embraces team interaction, experimentation, customer collaboration/input, and responsiveness to change rather than having a fixed plan. The goal is to develop a quality product that meets customers’ expectations and creates a customer-centric work environment. This approach has since been adopted across industries, shaping how organisations approach innovation and problem-solving.
Fail Fast, Learn Fast
Organisations that embrace agility often adopt the fail fast philosophy. Employees are encouraged to experiment with new ideas, iterate quickly, and learn from outcomes—whether successful or not. Failures are seen as stepping stones to success.
The fail-fast philosophy may sound ironic in our world, where results and perfection are valued. However, it is a powerful tool for growth and innovation when applied correctly. By allowing yourself to experiment and fail early, you gain valuable insights that would otherwise remain hidden.
What does this mean for undergraduates who are preparing to enter the workforce?
You might be thinking, “Surely this doesn’t mean I’ve to fail my examinations or assignments to learn from failure?” The philosophy is not about celebrating failures literally. It is about the learning process. To start, rather than taking a linear approach to learning, one needs to have an open mind, be it approaching a challenging personal assignment or working on a group project.
For instance, students working on a group project might experiment with different solutions only to discover that they do not work as intended. Instead of being discouraged, analyse what went wrong, make adjustments, and eventually arrive at a better solution. This iterative process of learning and adapting improves results and builds confidence in tackling future challenges.
Honing an agile mindset during university provides undergraduates with a head-start in building the resilience and adaptability needed for the demanding business landscape. More importantly, the university offers a safe environment for experimentation and learning without the high stakes of the professional world.
Easier Said Than Done
It takes more than just having an open mind and experimenting without cause. Cultivating an agile mindset requires deliberate effort and lots of practice.
Start by embracing diverse learning. Take elective courses to expand your perspective. Whether it is to learn a new language, explore data science, or dive into design thinking, broadening your knowledge fosters adaptability and creativity. Practise tackling ambiguous problems by taking on challenges such as inter-disciplinary or open-ended projects. These experiences build confidence in navigating uncertainty and hone your critical thinking.
Get out of your comfort zone for group projects and collaborate with different people. Learning to communicate and collaborate effectively with a diverse group prepares you for the complexities of the real world. During term breaks, gain practical experience through internships. Volunteer to be part of cross- functional initiatives that allow you to observe directly how real-life inter-disciplinary teams work to arrive at the best outcome possible.
Acquiring Skills for Success
To enhance the effectiveness of having an agile mindset, it is essential to pick up complementary skills. They include a mix of technical and soft skills. Below are some examples:
- Adaptability: Pivoting quickly in response to new information or unexpected challenges.
- Critical Thinking: Assessing situations objectively and making informed decisions.
- Communication: Active listening and clear communication to overcome any potentially challenging situations.
- Collaboration: Working effectively with others to achieve outcomes while valuing diverse perspectives.
- Digital Proficiency: Staying updated with technologies and tools to remain relevant in a tech-driven world.
- Emotional Intelligence: Understanding and managing emotions to foster effective teamwork.
Forging Your Path
Ultimately, cultivating an agile mindset brings about both professional and personal gains. It is daunting and hard work, but having the ability to adapt, iterate, and thrive amidst change will enable you to navigate an ever-changing world. More importantly, this skill set will empower you to forge a long and successful career!
It is key to remember that we all have to start somewhere, and there is no better environment than the university to kickstart this journey. The freedom to experiment, the safety to fail, and the opportunity to seek mentorship from faculty staff and seniors make it a perfect training ground.