• Home
  • Blog
  • How Leaders Can Build Strategic Agility Through Resilience

How Leaders Can Build Strategic Agility Through Resilience

Updated: March 7, 2022

Changes are a normal part of every organisation. They can be mild or harsh, but every change can turn to magic by doing the right action. Some drastic changes to transform a business can be overwhelming both to its employees and leaders.

Such changes can range from cost adjustments to adapting to the emerging innovations today. With all these significant industry changes, some leaders are indeed struggling to stay ahead.

There is an evident link between resilience and strategic ability plans in an organisation. Resilience provides a guide for an individual to be persistent in overcoming personal challenges and having strategic agility. The main objective of resiliency is to keep an organisation thriving, innovating and adapting to any type of change.

 

Tips on how leaders can establish strategic agility through resilience

Driving strategic resiliency in the organisation can be highly challenging for leaders. An effective technique is starting with establishing resilience in their members. This strategy must be partnered with executive leadership and strong culture in the organisation.

To build a resilient organisation, the following components should be present:

 

Change must be led by the leaders

Although employees are typically those affected by changes and need to adapt, CEO and executive teams must also be ready for any adjustments. In fact, they should be spearheading adapting to these changes; they must communicate to their employees that changes are meaningful and that they can benefit from being part of such transformations.

 

Compassionate leadership

Compassionate leadership must be recognised differently from sympathy and contempt. Leaders should be resilient in holding a position with compassion, based on empathy and social awareness. When these two qualities are present, the members of the organisation will develop respect and an initiative to go beyond what is expected.

 

A culture based on trust, not fear

Leadership is meaningful when there is a culture of trust. A leader cannot effectively implement rules and programs if their subordinates are more frightened than motivated to follow. There should be creativity and risk-taking in leadership. However, that can only be achieved when strategic agility is promoted. Trust can also be developed when creativity and positive behaviours are rewarded with recognition, not just compensation.

 

Resilience that is built as an integral approach

Leaders should also implement programs that focus on emotional intelligence, leadership and wellness. This is a strategy to establish resilience as an integral solution. It will help reduce confusion, costs and complexity, creating a more positive impact on strategic ability in the organisation.

 

Leader’s recognition of situational agility as a strength

Some leaders choose to resist changes and situational agility nowadays. However, this is not recommended since it can only hamper the organisation’s success in the future. Instead of rejecting changes, leaders should view situational agility as an important foundation to learn how to adapt to changes and utilise them to improve the organisation.

 

Conclusion

It is true that every organisation consists of people with complex behaviours, skills, beliefs and perceptions. With all the changes happening today, an organisation should be able to adapt, become sustainable and succeed in its goals. Therefore, they should be resilient, mentally healthy, productive and possess strategic agility. Without a doubt, leaders play an important part in achieving all these.

 

If you need help in enhancing your business’s strategic agility, make sure to do it with SKILLFIRE! We help our clients in creating effective strategies and thriving in a highly competitive marketplace. We are located in Melbourne, VIC. Consult with us today!