Allocating Abilities: How Agile Reshapes Work Outcomes

Ability-Driven workforces have become the main shift in how we view modern organizations; the Agile methodology has eroded traditional boundaries and created new definitions for our objectives and outcomes

The increasing need to adapt and provide quick responses has fueled the Agile revolution for the better part of a decade. It has reorganized not only the way in which we manage teams and people, it has created entirely new teams, positions, and priorities. The creation of Agile-based approaches is responsible for the rise of the Product Manager as an enviable position - and it’s heavily interlinked with the rise in outsourcing as well.?

Many of us know about the numerous benefits, of course. We’re aware of how cross-functional teams can engage and adapt better at difficult situations and address different responsibilities with a faster response rate. We’re also aware that outsourcing our work can also yield good results when mixed with this - but we’re also aware that many of us are still on the fence about these initiatives. The lure of new technologies and methods is always there, but the pull of tried and true strategies will always have a prevalence in our minds - you don’t need to have a degree in psychology to figure that one out.

Yet, I’d argue that it’s in our best interest to slowly drop these attitudes in favor of new ones. Not just because they’re effective, but because we’re experiencing a shift towards a skill-based job environment.

Daunting Changes

To support Agile delivery means to be able to take on very pressing and difficult transitions, as the fundamental changes can vary depending on the industry: many financial organizations have a legally binding responsibility to operate within certain boundaries, so changing their management DNA is not an easy task.?

But the truth is that traditional structures, whether they’re referring to fintech institutions or healthcare apps, inhibit long-term growth, especially in a tech-based environment. Traditional working operations favor large-scale, interim outcomes - Agile has refocused our attention on quickly pivoting our resources towards the most profitable outcome, backed by continuous discovery and testing. By dropping an endgame outcome, and instead using short-term results as a measuring yardstick, we’re becoming better equipped to handle a changing work environment.

But this not only affects the way in which we assess results - like I mentioned, it’s also changing the conversation regarding skills. Managers are no longer basing their hiring decisions on jobs or positions. Workers from all types of industries are now valued according to their specific skill sets and abilities. Whether or not they’re suited for specific tasks is what determines how they’ll move within an organization, a sharp contrast to what we envisioned twenty years ago.?

How Do We Take Advantage of This??

This is why we need to consider Agile. The talent gap is widening, and people have gotten used to working part-time jobs, learning about how they’re best suited for certain, specific tasks. We need to use an Agile approach for defining outcomes: by breaking down structures and matching people for certain tasks and measuring success into chunks, you offer a better alternative than your competitors. If we only stick to traditional roles, we take a risk as our potential workers might believe that they’re not going to be able to grow much within our organizations.

Of course, this is easier said than done.

We have to consider whether or not we define skills first, or how we reformulate the entire structure first. While I’d argue that it’s a mix between the two - a simultaneous process that takes time, this transformation might be different for each individual company. This transformation and transition takes time, but the end-goal of investing in Agile-based strategies is to create a more effective and positive working environment, meeting people on their individual terms and defining goals for what they’re really worth.

Gone are the days in which we insisted on a “one size fits all” approach; as a whole (and this goes double for a startup), we need to deliver transparent results and create purpose for what we’re trying to achieve. Large scale initiatives have not been able to address past concerns in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic, but highly adaptable strategies tend to create better results.

Time Will Tell

How quickly organizations can adapt to a dynamic outcome strategy is hard to tell. But it’s a fact that a corporate overhaul of traditional principles is slowly becoming the norm across the tech world. A systemic shift towards skill-based positions and short-term adaptability is sure to bring ongoing visibility, a better grip on the organization’s expenses, and a surefire way to ensure that business value is being delivered.?

Here at Teravision, we’ve spent almost two decades assessing companies through this cultural shift, pivoting them towards better results and easily scalable products through our Agile and Outsourcing initiatives. Contact us, and let us help you gain a foothold on this changing landscape.?