The ikigai at the heart of agility: How to combine passion and collaboration

Ikigai is often translated as the "reason to be" or the "reason to get up in the morning". It is a Japanese concept that emphasizes the search for meaning and satisfaction in life.

Ikigai represents a balance between four elements:

1) What you love: your passions, your interests and what gives you pleasure

2) What you are good at: your skills, talents and strengths

3) What the world needs: the needs, concerns or demands of society.

4)What you can be paid for: job opportunities or activities that can provide you with a source of income.

The intersection of these four elements forms your ikigai. When you find this balance, you are supposed to feel a sense of satisfaction, fulfillment and happiness.

The ikigai is often used as a personal and professional reflection tool to help individuals find purpose in their lives and make decisions aligned with their values and aspirations. It motivates people to seek out activities that bring them enjoyment, employ their skills, meet the needs of society, and can eventually become a source of income.

In an agile team, the concept of ikigai can be applied to promote engagement, motivation and satisfaction among team members. Here's how it can be translated:

1.Collective identity: The agile team can define its collective purpose, i.e. its ikigai as a team. This involves determining why the team exists, what value it brings to the organization, and how it contributes to the overall goals.

2.Role Alignment: Each team member can reflect on their own ikigai and seek to align their role in the team with their personal passions, skills, values and aspirations. When team members feel aligned with their individual ikigai, they are more motivated and committed.

3.Autonomy and responsibility: Agile teams often operate in an autonomous and self-organizing manner. By encouraging each team member to find his or her ikigai and take responsibility for it, it fosters individual initiative, creativity and commitment to the team's tasks and goals.

5.Collaboration and sharing: The ikigai can also encourage collaboration within the team. By sharing their passions, skills and aspirations, team members can identify opportunities for collaboration, mentoring and mutual learning, which enhances a sense of cohesion and collective accomplishment.

6.Continuous reflection: The ikigai can serve as a guide for agile teams in their continuous reflection and improvement processes. By regularly asking themselves questions about the relevance of their collective ikigai, team members can adjust their goals, practices and projects to stay aligned with their purpose and motivations.

7.Valuing personal development: ikigai emphasizes individual growth. Agile team members can be encouraged to continue their personal and professional growth by exploring new skills and embarking on challenges they are passionate about. This fosters an environment of continuous learning and talent development within the team.

8.Positive impact on society: By seeking to combine their passions and skills with the needs of the world, the agile team can set goals that have a positive impact on society. This can generate increased motivation and satisfaction by realizing that they are contributing to something bigger than themselves.

By cultivating an environment where ikigai is valued, the agile team can be more inspired, engaged, and able to take on challenges with passion and determination. This creates a positive energy that spreads throughout the team and promotes the achievement of extraordinary results. It also promotes talent retention and the building of a strong team culture.