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Agility & Persistence


In today’s uncertain and fast-changing world, agility is crucial to survival and success. It becomes increasingly difficult to predict the future. It’s not wise to stick to the original plan when Cosmos changes dramatically around us. Many times, it’s wiser to modify our initial goal and/or change direction and approach how to reach it. Sometimes it’s better to follow the flow rather than strive and struggle against it.


This is particularly important when we explore new markets or experiment with new products and services. This is why agile methodology is widely adopted in business, particularly in project management and product development. Experimenting while we are learning is wise when we test uncharted waters.


Agility is also important to respond quickly to changing market conditions, customer requirements and needs, and competitive pressure. We shouldn’t let bureaucracy and organizational sclerosis impact our ability to change and adapt fast. We should keep learning and adapting fast.


While being agile becomes an increasingly important mindset to succeed, in this fast-changing world, we should also better avoid the misunderstanding that success depends on how fast we change plans anytime we face difficulties.

Commitment, persistence, patience, grit, and discipline remain important to succeed. It’s natural to face many obstacles in life and business. A lot of effort and persistence are needed to overcome them. For example, starting a new business requires much effort and persistence to open doors and convince the first customers to buy from us. We shouldn’t surrender fast or abandon important goals in the name of agility and without a sound justification. In most cases, we need persistence to achieve the goal but agility in achieving it.


Changing plans and direction whenever we face difficulties is the best practice for failure. Changing our strategy often, and asking our team to change directions often, especially without a sound justification, makes us lose credibility. Nobody will take us seriously anymore. While constantly experimenting and changing could be a valuable and acceptable approach for some start-ups, it can be disastrous for many grown-ups.


We should also avoid the misunderstanding that, since everything changes so fast, “there is no need to plan anymore; we should simply become agile”. Planning is still needed to perform in organizations. We simply must revisit our plans more often to check if they are relevant to the changing Cosmos. For project management, it’s usually better to start with detailed planning (waterfall) and, depending on the project, being agile while we execute and learn.


While companies should become leaner, nimbler, and agile, they should still have the rigidity and strength to resist pressure when needed rather than bend. Strengthening the core and backbone of our business while building flexibility is wise so that we do not break or bend dangerously to the side winds coming from Cosmos.


Sometimes we should fight and persist. Sometimes we should change. Sometimes we should surrender. Sometimes we should run away and focus on what’s next.


ISOROPIN agility, commitment, persistence, grit, and patience differ a lot from case to case, depending on Cosmos and Chronos.

 

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