- Do Less: Sometimes doing less will allow you to do more. This is a successful startup mantra that holds a lot of weight. The most productive version of this concept we like to think about is making sure that we’re working on projects, products, and features that directly bring business improvement for our team, company, and clients. Limit work in progress in order to eliminate waste and most importantly keep it SIMPLE!
- Explore and Adapt: Learn something new every day. Many organizations have a 50+ step plan for years to come; however, if they stick with that plan they are actually limiting themselves. Explore the different choices available. Adapt to those changes. Learn from others who have already made decisions that work for them. These are all things organizations can do to remain successful and relevant.
- Learn fast: Learning fast, maintaining shorter feedback loops, and tolerating mistakes are all crucial for an agile executive to keep in mind. A leader must value learning and continuous improvement. The ability to adapt in the face of change is among the most valuable skills an executive can have. Most people either avoid learning or let their lack of knowledge get the best of them. It would be unfortunate if you spent your life working hard and getting nowhere because you weren't willing to test out new tactics or approaches. There are plenty of reasons why you might want to avoid learning as much as possible—you might be busy, or you just don't feel like putting in the work, or maybe you just don't want to learn. Learning is a must. As the business landscape changes, you need to be able to learn and fail fast in order to adapt and get ahead.
- One Team One Goal: To run a successful business you need to keep up with the current trends. Ideally, you want to maintain a co-located, multi-disciplinary team with a shared purpose. Keep in mind, the purpose is to squash any politics, and remember to avoid silos at all costs!
- Focus: Focus on value, most executives do nothing except focus on cost. As an agile executive, you want to focus on building the right product. Deliver value earlier, and concentrate on building the right product. If you focus on value, eventually cost will go down.