In his book The Agile Leader, Simon Hayward explains that these leaders create organizations that are able to adapt and transform even in the midst of unprecedented changes and customer needs. They are also disruptive by being willing to question and re-create themselves and their organization even if the employees are less prone to this.
So, agile leaders are opportunity-creating and disruptive at the same time. But which one of these characteristics is more dominant in your case? Where should you improve? The diagnostic questionnaire below will help you find out. Read the statements and remember which ones you think apply to you. Add up the number of applicable-to-you statements per column and whichever is higher is your dominant characteristic of the two.
What do opportunity creators do? | What do disruptors do? |
1. I talk to people about our goals so that we all know why we do what we do. |
1. I aim to make sense of changing customer needs. |
2. I make sure the priorities within the whole organization are in sync. |
2. I regularly question the status quo. |
3. I talk to customers often. |
3. I disrupt beurocracy and re-think the operative model so that we are efficient. |
4. I have adequate social abilities to convince others of the importance of the changes through empathy. |
4. I disrupt seperate corporate functions and question tribe-thinking. |
5. I am consequently credible. | 5. I think creatively. |
6. I train my team to develop their skills and to take on more responsibility. |
6. I am bold and take on radical opportunities. |
7. I consequently decentralize decision making to encourage other to speak up. |
7. I am an optimist and I trust the future. |
8. I create collaboration efficiently so that we reach our common goals together with different people. |
8. I am determined to make breakthroughs and complete the mission. |
9. I encourage people to learn from their mistakes | 9. I adapt to external changes quickly. |
10. I encourage whatever is best in others. |
10. I inspire other to cross barriers and find new ways to complete tasks. |
Which one is more dominant in your case? Are you an agile leader? The statements you think don’t apply to you are the areas where you can improve.
For more on using this method to improve your skills, read this popular book, and read our previous article.
By Zsuzsa Danka