How Agile Are You?

One of ICC’s Five Pillars of High-Performance is Agility. When we consider Agility we ask how ready is the organisation (and, crucially, the teams within the organisation) to adapt to external changes, and flex their processes to remain competitive? We also assess how quickly (or slowly) decisions are made and how empowered team members are. You might be surprised by the range of responses we come across…??

To emphasise the importance we place on Agility, take a look at the following two extreme examples, where adapting to market changes has led to very different results.?

Blackberry – How the organisation took an Agility miss-step...?

1. Overconfidence in Physical Keyboards:?

BlackBerry dominated the smartphone market in the early 2000’s, particularly among business professionals (remember the tiny keyboards and the speed at which we learnt to type on them?!). When Apple introduced the iPhone with a full touchscreen, BlackBerry dismissed it as a "fad" and stuck with physical keyboards. It turned out, however, that consumers preferred touchscreens for better useability.?

2. Slow Response to App Technology:?

BlackBerry’s operating system was not developer-friendly. BlackBerry also failed to create a strong App store like Apple’s App Store or Google Play. Devices became less appealing to consumers who wanted the rich App experience.?

3. Failure to Adapt to Consumer Market:?

BlackBerry focused on enterprise and security features, while competitors like Apple and Samsung targeted the wider consumer market with innovative designs, colours and entertainment features.?

4. Late Adoption of Modern Operating System:?

By the time BlackBerry introduced its modern operating system in 2013, iOS and Android had already become the dominant platforms. Sadly, their move was too late to regain market share.?

BlackBerry failed to adapt to changing consumer preferences and the touchscreen revolution, the brand’s products slowly declined while Apple and Samsung thrived.?

Netflix – Remaining Agile and adapting to market trends…?

Originally a DVD rental-by-mail service in the late 1990’s, Netflix adapted to market changes in several ways and not only survived, but thrived:?

1. Shift to Streaming:??

As internet speeds improved and consumer preferences shifted towards on-demand content, Netflix pivoted from DVDs to streaming, offering streaming from as early as 2007 and quickly becoming a leader in digital content distribution.?

2. Original Content Production:??

Facing competition from traditional studios and streaming rivals, Netflix started producing its own content in 2013, launching hits like House of Cards and Stranger Things. This move reduced its reliance on third-party licenses and built brand loyalty.?

3. Global Expansion:??

Recognising the potential of international markets, Netflix aggressively expanded worldwide, adapting its content offerings to different regions. This move would have been impossible when they started out as a DVD rental business.?

4. Ad-Supported Subscription:??

In 2022, with increasing competition from Disney+, HBO Max, and others, as well as increasing noise about the cost of living, Netflix introduced a lower-cost, ad-supported subscription plan to attract budget-conscious consumers.?

The ability to remain Agile, anticipating and responding to market shifts on a regular basis, has kept Netflix at the forefront of the entertainment industry.??

So, a question to pose to yourself today – is your approach more Blackberry or Netflix? Do we stay true to our operating methods because they feel safe, or are we looking outward to our external environment, anticipating and responding to shifts in the relationship landscape?

If you would like support to #BeMoreAgile, get in touch. You’re In Cool Company!?