What are the pillars of agility in work teams?

Agility is much more than a set of methodologies; it is a paradigm based on organizational flexibility and adaptability, whose main foundation is constant learning through controlled experimentation. Although many associate agility with the Agile Manifesto of 2001, this approach began to take shape much earlier, in the mid-1970s, when companies began to notice a significant shift in customer demands. The need for product customization pushed organizations to find faster and more effective ways to respond to market expectations without sacrificing quality.

The Agile Manifesto was a key milestone, especially in software development, as it formalized principles that had been evolving, such as the importance of customer collaboration and incremental value delivery. However, agility has transcended the software industry and has become an organizational strategy applied across multiple sectors where the environment is changing, volatile, and often uncertain. Today, it is considered an efficient response to tackle high volatility contexts and BANI environments (brittle, anxious, nonlinear, and incomprehensible).

For an organization to truly operate under agile principles, it is essential to constantly challenge the internal culture of its teams. Agility requires that these teams not only repeat old processes but also continuously question and optimize their ways of working. Autonomy and mastery play a crucial role in this transformation process.

Autonomy and mastery as pillars of agility

Autonomy is essential in an agile team. When teams have the freedom to make decisions and manage their work, they can respond more quickly to changes without needing to wait for hierarchical approvals. This empowerment not only improves efficiency but also fosters creativity and innovation, key factors for adapting to a changing environment. Autonomous teams can experiment and try new solutions, directly contributing to the organization’s success.

On the other hand, mastery refers to the continuous commitment to improving skills and competencies. In an agile environment, where technology and market demands evolve rapidly, teams must develop deep technical and professional expertise to remain effective. The pursuit of mastery drives individuals and teams to hone their capabilities, learning and adapting to handle increasingly complex and valuable tasks. Teams that combine autonomy with mastery not only achieve higher productivity but also feel more engaged and motivated, which positively impacts product quality.

The challenge: when teams lack sufficient autonomy and mastery

Although autonomy and mastery are key elements for success in an agile environment, teams do not always have adequate levels of these attributes, which can create significant challenges for the organization.

  • Lack of autonomy: In many organizations, teams may face hierarchical structures that limit their ability to make quick decisions. The need for continuous approvals or a highly centralized corporate culture prevents teams from freely experimenting and adapting their processes to the changing needs of the project. This can create decision-making bottlenecks and slow the team’s ability to respond to changes in the environment. Without adequate autonomy, agility becomes a difficult ideal to achieve.
  • Insufficient mastery: The lack of continuous skills development is also a common obstacle. Teams that are not sufficiently trained or do not have access to ongoing training may feel overwhelmed by new technologies or the complexity of projects. Without well-developed mastery, teams not only risk losing efficiency but also compromising the quality of the final product. Mastery is necessary to ensure that the team can take on challenging tasks and create innovative solutions that truly add value to the project, and more importantly, to the client.
  • Demotivation and dependency: The lack of autonomy and mastery can lead to demotivation in teams, who may become overly dependent on someone with more seniority or lack the confidence to make decisions independently. This can lead to a low-performance culture where team members do not feel in control of their work, thus reducing proactivity and innovation—essential pillars of any agile environment.
  • Increased risk of errors: In teams where mastery is not well developed, mistakes are more likely to occur due to a lack of technical experience. This skills deficit can result in costly errors or the need for rework, affecting project deadlines and costs.

The path to effective autonomy and mastery

For organizations that truly want to be agile, investing in the continuous development of their teams is key. This not only involves providing technical training but also fostering a culture of trust that allows teams to take greater responsibility for their work.

Autonomy should not be seen as mere task delegation but as creating a trustful environment where teams feel empowered to make smart decisions and act quickly. Mastery, in turn, should be a continuous goal, where employees are encouraged to learn, grow, and face more complex challenges gradually, improving both their performance and personal satisfaction.

Being an agile organization does not just mean adopting agile methodologies; it requires nurturing a culture where teams are autonomous and highly competent, with a strong commitment to continuous improvement. When autonomy and mastery are well-developed, teams not only respond better to environmental challenges but also innovate and create value sustainably, overcoming the challenges posed by today’s volatility and uncertainty. On this path to that ideal, as environments of trust are created, each team will face the challenge of finding a balance between autonomy and mastery that maximizes value delivery.

By Lucas Cottet

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