Case study: scaling an agile business
Throughout 2018 and 2019 we worked with the global technology function of a fast-growing agile business within the technology sector. As the business had scaled rapidly in recent years it now needed to adapt its organisation to an operating model more suitable for operating at scale. This presented two adaptive challenges. Firstly, it needed to design and roll out a people management model capable of operating at scale without compromising the effectiveness of agile product development teams. Secondly, it also needed to develop the team leadership and collaboration skills for teams to be successful, within the new operating model.
As a first step, we introduced the top team to whole ecosystem approaches to transformation, while also developing their capacity for collective intelligence. This enabled them to build the cohesion needed to lead change, as well as to shift from a top-down directive approach, to a whole system approach Involving a broader cross-section of the organisation earlier on in the process. Working in partnership with the leadership team, we identified and recruited those key influencers, from among the diverse groups and levels that would be responsible for implementing the change, to form a whole ecosystem transformation group. We then provided this group with a range of developmental frameworks and approaches that developed their capacity for collective intelligence. As a result, this newly formed group was able to bridge differences in perspectives and arrive at an improved solution very quickly – and from here, to collectively design a change programme to be rolled out across the organisation.
By adopting a whole ecosystem approach to solution design and roll-out we ensured that, from the outset, the programme had the support of key influencers at all levels of the business. In addition, Furthermore, by developing the capacity for collective intelligence at the same time as rolling out the new people model, we were able to help the organisation to accomplish business transformation, culture change and capacity development in one go.. As a result, the transformation programme was viewed as a huge success at all levels of the organisation, meeting minimum resistance. As a result of this we were engaged to roll this approach out across the broader organisation as a whole.
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