Agile Working and its Impact on Entrepreneurs
By Leni Marlina
The way individuals approach their work is changing tremendously in today's fast shifting workplace, particularly for entrepreneurs navigating the unstable corporate environment. Agile working, which was formerly mostly connected to areas like software development, is now essential in a wide range of industries, including healthcare and finance.
Agile working fundamentally represents a way of thinking that prioritizes efficiency and flexibility over all other factors. Agile approaches, in contrast to conventional, inflexible frameworks, enable teams to swiftly modify tactics and procedures in response to novel possibilities or difficulties. This adaptability encourages a culture of continuous innovation and development in addition to increasing efficiency.
In sectors like banking where market conditions are subject to sudden changes, agile practices enable organizations to swiftly adapt, seizing opportunities and effectively mitigating risks. Similarly, agile approaches let medical professionals swiftly adjust to evolving patient needs, regulatory modifications, and technological advancements.
The tenets of agile working prioritize cooperation, openness, and cross-functional teamwork over operational effectiveness. To foster a creative and encouraging work atmosphere, these components are essential. Businesses that embrace agility may maintain their competitiveness by quickly responding to market needs and providing value to consumers more successfully.
a. Understanding Agile Working
Agile working is all about teamwork and staying flexible. Originally used mainly in software development, agile methods like Extreme Programming (XP) have become popular. XP focuses on practices such as working together in pairs and testing software before finishing it, ensuring better-quality results (McKinsey, 2023).
**A Journey Focused on Innovation**
Back in 2001, the Agile Manifesto changed how projects were managed by emphasizing people and working products over strict plans and tools (Beck et al., 2001). This shift empowered teams to make quick changes and respond to customer feedback, encouraging continuous improvement and new ideas.
For example, think of a startup creating a new mobile app using agile methods like XP. They start by defining what users need and making simple versions of the app. As they get feedback, they make quick changes, adding new features and making the app better for users.