3 Characteristics of Agile Leaders

Trait #1: Agile Leaders Inspire Courage as Their First Characteristic

Great leaders inspire others with their words as much as their actions. They build a vibrant picture of a vivid future and are eager to roll up their sleeves alongside their teams to make it a reality. Great agile leaders are the first to go into unfamiliar terrain or take a necessary wage cut. When things go wrong, agile leaders accept full accountability and give full credit to the teams when things go right. These leaders are the ones in the front lines, dealing with irate customers and irritated boards. They never ask others to do anything they are unwilling to do themselves. Their employees are willing to take chances because they perceive a leader who is willing to do so.

Trait #2: Agile Leaders Are Curious Listeners

Agile leaders are intelligent, experienced, and knowledgeable about their product and their customer. Agile leaders are also smart enough to know they cannot possibly have all the answers, so they build and empower smart teams who challenge that leader’s assumptions and put forth brilliant ideas of their own. Leaders listen. They’re curious. They invest in intriguing ideas and encourage mistakes in the name of innovation.  

Leaders listen. They’re curious. They invest in intriguing ideas and encourage mistakes in the name of innovation.  

There’s an old saying: “You can measure a person by the company they keep.” Similarly, you can measure a leader by the followers they attract. Do they surround themselves with people that can challenge them, and do? Are the people around them people of deep character and conviction? Or are they simply “Yes people”?  When trying to assess how well someone is leading, look at the followers.  

Agile leaders know that it doesn’t matter how smart or talented or right you are, if no one follows your lead, you won’t get very far. As one of my favorite leaders, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, put it, “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”

Trait #3: Agile Leaders Serve and Care for Their Teams

Agile leaders know that if their employees are engaged and making an impact, the organization will be successful. That’s why these leaders do all in their power to create an environment where success can happen. They encourage work/life balance, and model the behavior themselves by taking PTO and taking care not to contact people about work outside of work hours (unless it’s truly an emergency). Agile leaders clear any obstacles that stand in the team’s way, whether it’s an outdated policy, a lack of capacity, or an impatient stakeholder. They are vulnerable and transparent, so their teams trust that they can be honest in their struggles as well. In short, they do whatever is needed for their teams to succeed.

It’s not your position that matters. It’s how you position yourself that makes the difference.

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