Today’s business environment is more fast-paced than ever, so agile operations have become increasingly popular. In agile teams, employees can quickly adapt to change, collaborate to achieve goals, and deliver outstanding value to customers early and often. Building an agile team will take time, but success will feel much more attainable after the transition. Below, you will find several strategies for building a more agile team.
What is an Agile Team?
An agile team is cross-functional, meaning everyone is responsible for delivering value to customers through an incremental and iterative approach. Agile teams are often small and self-organizing; they have the power to cut through the red tape without having to await senior approval.
Having an agile team will boost customer satisfaction, improve product quality, increase employee engagement, and reduce time to market.
Encourage Communication and Collaboration
Collaboration and communication are non-negotiable in agile teams, so this is a good place to start. Instead of each department operating as a separate entity, everyone should work effectively with each other, as well as shareholders, to deliver information, make decisions, and coordinate work.
Bringing all departments closer together can spark pushback within the workforce, which you can overcome by explaining how everyone in the business is linked and what their part is within the wider business. To do this, we recommend using an ER diagram creator to illustrate relationships between different systems.
Empower Employees to Make Decisions
When team members feel empowered to make decisions, they’re able to act efficiently and quickly, without having to wait around for management approval. This allows agile teams to reach goals and deliver value to customers.
To empower employees, it’s important to set clear objectives and goals to avoid any confusion. As well as this, team members should have the correct resources and support, including access to essential expertise, tools, and information.
Provide Regular Coaching and Feedback
Coaching and feedback are a significant part of agile operations because they help team members identify strengths/weaknesses, learn new skills, and improve overall performance. There are many ways to provide regular feedback and coaching, including:
- Provide relevant, timely, and constructive feedback.
- Meet regularly to discuss potential challenges and progress.
- Celebrate team success to strengthen motivation and build morale.
- Be encouraging and supportive by turning feedback into a positive experience.
Create a Culture of Respect and Trust
Mutual respect and trust between team members and management is crucial for agile to succeed. There are many ways to establish trust, but the most effective include:
- Celebrate inclusion and diversity by making team members of all backgrounds feel welcome.
- Be a role model by acting with integrity and transparency.
- Encourage honest and open communication across all levels of the business, from newcomers to senior leaders.
- Put your hands up and own mistakes to gain the respect of your team.
An agile environment is the most effective way for a business to thrive in today’s ever-changing and fast-paced environment. By following the tips outlined above, your team will reach its potential, deliver value to customers quickly, and understand the role they play within the wider company.