Flexibility and Agility Important Ingredients in Company Culture

The COVID-19 pandemic has created massive uncertainty for tech businesses globally, prompting the need for flexibility and agility.

This presents quite a challenge for tech businesses that are set in their old ways. But there are free resources available to help you develop and retain a culture of flexibility and agility.

Organizations with such a culture are better able to survive and thrive in uncertain times.

CompTIA’s Estelle Johannes

In this Channel Evolution Europe keynote titled, “There is No New Normal: Plan for Change with an Agile Culture,” 1 December, Estelle Johannes, CompTIA‘s director of member communities, will provide insights on fostering a flexible and agile culture.

In a Q&A with Channel Futures, Johannes provides a sneak peek of the information she’ll share with attendees.

Channel Futures: What’s your definition of a culture of flexibility and agility?

Estelle Johannes: It is being an outcome-focused company versus having staff clock-in their hours. So mutual trust is important for this to work. Adding in training to support staff and having clear guidelines will help to manage everyone’s expectations and have aligned goals. Then checking the temperature regularly, and this can be done via many methods, like a survey or anonymous suggestion box. Find ways to get employee feedback. Employees should feel like failure is learning and a step closer to success.

Many of our members say that being agile is about bringing people and processes together, working within guidelines, but without boundaries to achieve it. Make space for creativity, innovation, and quickly to adapt to change.

CF: How can having a flexible and agile culture help tech businesses survive and thrive during difficult times like the ongoing pandemic?

EJ: It’s having increased innovation and critical thinking, and having employees and clients stay loyal to your business.

CF: How do you go about establishing and maintaining a culture of flexibility and agility? Are there resources available to help?

EJ: Success leaves clues, so learning from industry peers, coaches and subject matter experts helps. Getting tools and guidance will be very useful, but you will get out of it what you put into it. So believing the culture from the C-suite down is essential, so you have that mindset.

Here are some resources:

CF: What are some pitfalls to avoid when establishing such a culture?

EJ: Communicate, listen and be inclusive. Ensure that you get buy-in from all levels, so it’s carried out, believed and championed by the whole company.

CF: What do you hope attendees learn and can make use of from your keynote?

EJ: I hope attendees look at how they can rethink their internal and external processes to help their business succeed.