In the fast changing world we live in today, every organization is bound to encounter changes, whether big or small.
Changes themselves may not be frightening, but the impact they have on people and businesses can be a little scary. When individuals and organizations lack the necessary skills and knowledge to handle change, it can potentially put the organization at risk.
The education sector is no exception to this. As we strive to adapt to changes from the external environment, it falls upon the leaders to respond to the situation promptly and make the wisest decisions given the circumstances. This is what we refer to as agile leadership. But what does it mean exactly?
What is agile leadership?
If we look at the literal meaning of “agile,” it gives us a clear understanding. It means being swift and quick to react. Agile leadership is a fresh style of leading that focuses on being flexible, adaptable, and promoting collaboration.
Instead of top-down control, agile leaders empower the team to self-iterate, improve and better serve customer needs.
At the heart of agile leadership is the idea of experimentation. Leaders encourage their teams to prototype, test, and refine their ideas in a safe environment. Failing fast and learning quickly is considered a valuable part of the process. By doing so, it allows teams to iterate and improve their solutions.’
Great agile leaders usually know that diverse opinions and skillsets lead to better results. They strive to create an inclusive environment and encourage cross-functional teams to work together.
Why is agile leadership important in education?
Being a leader in education is no easy feat. They face countless challenges, especially during times of crisis.
From managing parents, students, and the government, to ensuring the highest quality of education, and keeping the school running smoothly, leaders have their hands full. But through it all, they remain committed to creating a safe and nurturing environment for students to thrive.
Take the Covid impact as an example. It made things pretty tough for schools to figure out how to teach and learn in this new world. But covid will certainly not be the last crisis we face in our time.
That’s why schools will need leaders who can change things up, work together, and find new ideas to deal with whatever comes next. It’s all about being flexible and getting used to the “new COVID-normal”.
Agile leadership and management
1. Transforming yourself
Leaders play a critical role in the agile management. In today’s world, being a good leader is no longer about giving orders.Leaders must change themselves first before they can inspire change in their teams.
As a leader, you should be open to feedback and willing to embrace new ideas and practices. You must be willing to empower your team to innovate and move forward. This requires a willingness to take a step back, listen to others, and let go of control.
2. Transforming the team
A good leader also knows how to help team to work in agile ways. Build team in smaller size will allow them to deliver greater value more quickly. It is also a leader’s job to keep the agile team focused on customer needs.
Principles of agile leadership
The agile leadership style involves being adaptable, flexible, and responsive to the changing business environment. The principles of agile leadership are straightforward and simple:
- People First
This means putting your team members’ needs and interests ahead of your own. As a leader, you should be focused on creating a work culture that supports collaboration, & creativity.
- Be agile
To enable the team to be able to adapt quickly, leaders should build small-sized teams, allow them to work in agile cycles, empower them and provide feedback in quick manners.
- Foster Collaboration
A team can achieve much more than an individual. Leaders should encourage team members to share their ideas and opinions freely, and to listen to each other actively.
This creates a sense of trust and respect within the team, which leads to better collaboration and ultimately, better results.
- Customer centered
The core of agile way of working is to be able to respond quickly to the needs of customers (learners). Leaders with a customer centric mindset in agile management put the customers first.
They focus on understanding the needs and wants of their customers, and they put it first. This helps to build long-lasting relationships, which are essential for success in any industry.
Agile leadership practices
Agile leadership practices can be successful in real situations.
Small and diverse teams that work together can bring many new ideas. For example, a lot of tech companies formed teams with people from different backgrounds, and their diverse ideas led to innovative solutions.
Google, is another notable example of implementing agile practices. The HR team transformed Google’s usual HR practices by adopting the agile approach.
They move away from old annual performance evaluations and adopting a more continuous feedback and goal-setting process. By implementing agile principles, Google’s employees were able to receive timely feedback and make regular progress towards goals.
These real examples show how agile leadership practices can lead to success.
Embrace the power of agile leadership
So, why is agile leadership important in education? Well, it’s like the special ingredient that adds flavor to the educational journey.
With agile leadership, educators can navigate the changing world of education smoothly, ensuring students have the best learning experiences.
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