{"id":5071,"date":"2016-09-06T06:06:14","date_gmt":"2016-09-06T04:06:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.alainveuve.ch\/where-and-how-to-start-with-the-agile-company\/"},"modified":"2016-09-06T06:06:14","modified_gmt":"2016-09-06T04:06:14","slug":"where-and-how-to-start-with-the-agile-company","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alainveuve.ch\/en\/where-and-how-to-start-with-the-agile-company\/","title":{"rendered":"Where and how to start with the agile company?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Agility is the prayer<\/del> of the hour. My article “Corporate model of the digital age: The agile company!”<\/a> is one of the most widely read and I receive a steady stream of questions about it. One question I’ve been asked a lot in recent weeks is: How and where do I start the transformation of our company? <\/p>\n

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(Reading time: 4 minutes)<\/em><\/p>\n

SMES<\/h3>\n

Interestingly, the people who spoke to me were all representatives of smaller companies. The largest company had just under 50 employees. The smallest had 18, which I find interesting. Because the advantages of an agile company have a much greater impact on larger companies than on smaller ones. <\/p>\n

Why an agile company<\/h3>\n

I didn’t have to explain to anyone that the “first principle” for becoming an agile company is exponential technological progress. The ideas and attitudes of the company representatives were surprisingly clear. The strategic baseline is fundamentally clear. Representatives of SMEs in particular can learn a lot from this. <\/p>\n

However, there are apparently also other reasons, reasons that are “softer”. For example, two interviewees said that they had grown as a company over time and had introduced many structures that now actually hinder them more than help them. <\/p>\n

They missed the direct work, the collaborative nature of the company’s initial phase. They missed the speed of getting things done. The fun. <\/p>\n

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That this is the case is not surprising when you hear how some small companies structure themselves. In a team of three, there is sometimes a team leader who carries out the full supervisor program including serial weekly meetings, assessment meetings, reporting etc.. No wonder it’s no fun anymore. <\/p>\n

Lars Vollmer writes in his book “Zur\u00fcck an die Arbeit” (Back to work) that the economy should leave out the “business theater”, as he calls it, and get back to work. Even if I find the book a tad too polemical and don’t see it all so narrowly, he is right in the basics. Also in relation to such small companies. Because a team of 3 people is not a team, but simply 3 people working together. It doesn’t need a leader, it doesn’t need a chief, it’s just three people working together. <\/p>\n

How did the desire to transform into an agile company come about?<\/h3>\n

In all 4 companies, the impetus to become an agile company came from the management. At two companies, it came from operational management. At the other two, even from the supervisory board. Frankly, I’m not particularly surprised. I think that the agile company is slowly on the cusp of becoming a hype. The interest is correspondingly high. <\/p>\n

The fact that this desire for change comes “from the top down”, so to speak, does not make things any easier. Because it means that change is imposed. Particularly in organizations that see this super-structured approach as part of their culture, it is of course difficult to come around the corner and say from one day to the next: “Suprise, surprise, we’re going agile. Forget our rules, folks.” <\/p>\n

This becomes particularly difficult when there are also financial dependencies. For example, when bonuses and other special benefits are linked to project and\/or productivity KPIs. These are systems that do not work in an agile company. The problem, however, is that employees have become accustomed to these payments over the years. It seems impossible to go back. <\/p>\n

This is why the transition to an agile company is usually accompanied by a streamlining of the wage structure. And because wages are never, really never, reduced, this means budgeting for additional costs. A wonderful litmus test for company management to check their genuine willingness to change. <\/p>\n

So where to start?<\/h3>\n

In small companies, there is actually only one way to initiate a development towards an agile company: The team should do it themselves.<\/p>\n

Of course, this sounds like chaos at first, and without skillful guidance, chaos is inevitable. So what is a good approach? <\/p>\n

All 4 companies I spoke to have appointed a “project manager”, an “owner” for this change. This person is supposed to prepare and introduce the agile organization. I think that’s dangerous, as if someone from outside could drive such a profound change. <\/p>\n

“The first step to becoming an agile company is to give all responsibility to the team. Unconditionally.”<\/em><\/p>\n

My advice is therefore that the role of the “owner” becomes that of an ambassador. This means that he or she presents the organizational form of the agile company to the employees over a longer period of time and sheds light on the details. I think an hour every two weeks for 3-4 months is effective. The idea behind this is that the employees get a feel for what it could be like for them. <\/p>\n

The key is to let employees decide for themselves at the end of this introduction and orientation period whether they want to adopt this form of organization. And if they decide to do so, they should also introduce it completely independently. From this point on, management should take on the role of organizational supporter. <\/p>\n

In this way, they ensure that employees understand from day one that it is all about working independently as part of a team. And that they enjoy the trust of the management. On the one hand, this gives them more creative freedom. But it also gives them responsibility. Good, committed employees generally want both. <\/p>\n

“What if they don’t want that?”<\/h3>\n

Quite simply: all the better. Because it would be pretty stupid if, as a manager, you were to decree the transformation into an agile company and then, along the way, realize that people are only doing it because they have to and are only doing it “by the books” or half-heartedly. <\/p>\n

The result will be disastrous: Not only will you have spent a lot of money and time without gaining anything from it, no. There will also be a great deal of uncertainty among the workforce. <\/p>\n

So by giving the decision entirely to the team right from the start, you save yourself a lot of trouble. If the team doesn’t want to do it, \u00e0 la Bonheur, then don’t do it. Then it’s time to work with the employees first and set things up differently. And then try again. As we all know, there are no shortcuts to places that are worth going. <\/p>\n

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