The current economic climate has placed a bigger spotlight on just how critical agility is within organisations today.
Almost half of executives do not believe their organisations are agile. This, according to a global survey of 300 C-suite executives by the Association of Executive Search and Leadership Consultants (AESC). The COVID-19 pandemic has placed an even higher demand for organisations being agile and having strong leadership, but many companies are still struggling with both. The Survey suggests, however, that today’s organisations are not agile enough with only 56% of respondents overall agreeing that agility is a strength of their companies.
Organisational agility is perceived differently by C-suite executives than by HR, with 69% of CEOs believing agility is a strength of their companies. In comparison, only 33% of HR executives feel this way.
Three drivers of agility
Change required: executives rank stronger collaboration (#1), more innovation (#2), and a more empowered workforce (#3) as the top aspects they wish they could change about their organisational culture.
Leadership alignment: 89% of C-suite leaders believe their leadership approach aligns with the ‘purpose’ of their organisation—including a broader set of stakeholders beyond just shareholders, which includes employees, suppliers and broader communities.
Sustainability: the UN Sustainable Development Goals most prioritised by today’s organisations include gender equality (#1), good health and well-being (#2), and industry innovation and infrastructure (#3).
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
