Training Industry Magazine - Summer 2024 - 18

STEP 1. KNOW YOUR PURPOSE AND
UNDERSTAND YOURSELF
Agile leaders are grounded in selfawareness
and situational awareness,
and this awareness forms the
foundation of their mindset. They are
clear on the organization's purpose,
goals and values as well as their
own, making that information the
lodestar of the work they do, from
day-to-day activities to complicated,
high-risk decisions. Developing
this
awareness is an ongoing effort based
on curiosity, humility, emotional
intelligence and engagement.
Agile leaders are keenly tuned in to
their organization's vision and strategy
for achieving it as well as the standards
and principles it strives for. This
information defines their individual
role, mission and accountabilities and
directs where they focus their energy
and effort. At the same time, they
recognize their own personal drivers,
strengths and limitations as well as a
vision of their own professional and
personal future. The alchemy of these
varied insights shapes how they show
up on the job. And this is not a oneand-done
pursuit; agile leaders are
constantly seeking data, feedback
and perspective to keep their self- and
situational awareness fresh.
Step 2. Check Your Mindset
This awareness sets the stage for the
key part of the process: Checking your
mindset. As noted previously, when
leaders are actively managing what they
think, they positively impact how they
feel and act, providing themselves with a
better chance of achieving the outcomes
they want. As powerful as this is, it's
not easy. Unlike the eager, energetic
dogs bounding happily through an
agility course, human leaders know
how daunting, frustrating and draining
dealing with obstacles can be.
AGILE LEADERS
ARE GROUNDED IN
SELF-AWARENESS
AND SITUATIONAL
AWARENESS
just means a reset is needed. Stepping
back from the situation and being open
to new perspectives and ideas may
mean reaching beyond comfort zones
and embracing vulnerabilities, but it
can also create the shift needed to
move forward with a more appropriate
approach. With a foundation of self- and
situational awareness set in the first step
of the model, this shift becomes easier
to make.
STEP 3. RESPOND WITH INTENTION
AND EQUANIMITY
Maintaining a mindset that casts
obstacles as opportunities for learning
and growth, for example, takes effort.
This isn't about a toxic façade of
positivity; instead, it's about cultivating
a mindset that puts you in the best
position to facilitate a good outcome.
In their McKinsey Quarterly article,
" Leading With Inner Agility, " Sam
Bourton, Johanne Lavoie and Tiffany
Vogel recommend that leaders " pause
to move faster. " As they describe it,
" Pausing in the chaos of great change is
a counterintuitive action that can lead to
greater creativity and efficiency. It carves
out a safe space for self-awareness, for
recentering yourself, for something new
to emerge. "
Naturally, a leader will sometimes
discover they may not be in the right
headspace to effectively handle a
problem. It happens, and it's okay - that
Instead of simply reacting to a situation,
leaders who are grounded, purposeful,
self-aware and open to learning and
adapting are better prepared to meet
challenges and obstacles with a
composed, even-tempered, deliberate
response. What's the difference? Based
in our brain's ancient fight-or-flight
instincts, reactions are typically shortsighted
and ruled by impulse or emotion.
When stress is high or the stakes are
big, those drivers can precipitate poor
outcomes and regret. Responses,
however, are thoughtful, rational and
big-picture oriented - and therefore
more likely to facilitate good results.
Step 4: Fostering Inclusive
Learning Environments
Because agile leaders constantly seek
to grow and improve, their process
includes a practice of reflection to identify
lessons learned and key takeaways.
Stakeholder feedback and consideration
of the impact on relationships and the
workplace environment can be part of
this practice. As the model shows, the
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https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/leading-with-inner-agility
Training Industry Magazine - Summer 2024

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