When presenting the team with the first three values of Communication, Teamwork and Accountability, I asked if there was something I missed, something that was a true value of the business, not something we aspired to.  Overwhelmingly and immediately, they replied, Agility.

Our formal definition of Agility is: We are flexible, delivering results without sacrificing quality

This means:

I am focused on the customer need

Dwight Eisenhower said, “planning is everything, the plan is nothing.”  Our projects are closely monitored with a formal project plan but staying focused on the scope and purpose of the project is fundamental if we get blown off course by real world situations not envisioned when we started the project.  Working towards the plans objectives may mean zigging when we planned to zag but driving towards that goal is the key and this can only be done if we are prepared to be agile. 

I respond quickly

We are expected to respond to all requests with a sense of urgency.  We can’t always solve every issue immediately but consistent with our communication value, we can usually communicate quickly and our clients expect and deserve this.

I get the job done

Getting a job 95% done, isn’t done.  It is incomplete and, in most cases, little or no use.

Getting the job done also means doing everything we promised.  Being agile doesn’t mean we skip testing or documentation for example.  Going live isn’t a single binary goal.  A successful project is measured by its long term impact on the business, not just hitting the date planned.

In March 2020 when the world changed virtually overnight our team showed what agility is all about. I couldn’t be prouder of how our team responded to our shutting the office and moving to remote work without missing a beat delivering for our clients at a very difficult time.