When considering someone for a project, background and abilities have always been important.
The “ability” being added to the skills list these days is agility.
Team members need to be comfortable dealing with ambiguity.
Able to quickly react to situations in real time.
We can learn to be more comfortable and confident in our ever-changing world.
The challenge is to quickly sort through the clutter of the situation.
Pull out the most important elements.
And, the key, is to not become stressed or stressing those around you.
My Perspective
Be present and slow down.
From what I’ve observed over the years, our fast-paced work lives are the enemy of agility.
Situations arise that weren’t part of the project plan, and the team gets into a swirl.
The issue has thrown everything off, team members are stressed, and activity speeds up.
In many cases, the better approach might be for someone to step in and slow down the process.
Calm the team down.
Summarize the situation.
Lead a quick session to brainstorm possible solutions.
Be present.
Try not to worry about what might happen if the situation can’t be resolved.
We might even consider writing a “process” for times when unexpected moments arise.
Often, these events are called “fire drills”.
So, why not treat them as such?
We have a plan if a fire breaks out – we know what to do.
Your Turn
Are there frequent “fire drills” at your work?
What is your approach when a “work fire” breaks out?
What might your fire escape plan look like?