For those who know me, I’m viewed as being passionate about simplicity, continual learning, and unlocking the potential within people and organizations. Whether I’m leading product discovery, enabling product mode transitions, or driving agile transformations, I focus on aligning vision with execution to create sustainable business agility.

I’ve been an advocate of business agility since the mid-2000s. But even after 2-decades, there are aspects of business agility that are still misunderstood.

Business agility is often viewed as a way to go faster, but true agility is about adaptability, resilience, and delivering value.

Here are some common misunderstandings I see on business agility journeys:

1. Speed vs. Value

Misconception: Agility is all about speed.

Reality: It’s about quickly adapting to change to continuously deliver value. Sometimes, slowing down to make better, customer-centered decisions is the agile approach.

1. Speed vs. Value

Misconception: Agility is all about speed.

Reality: It’s about quickly adapting to change to continuously deliver value. Sometimes, slowing down to make better, customer-centered decisions is the agile approach.

2. Agility Only Applies to IT

Misconception: Agility is just for tech or product teams.

Reality: Business agility is a company-wide capability. From marketing to finance, every team benefits from agility, collaboration, and alignment with organizational goals.

3. Processes Over Principles

Misconception: Agile processes = agility.

Reality: Agility is a mindset. Going through agile motions (stand-ups, sprints) without a commitment to customer value and continuous improvement misses the point.

4. Leadership Not Involved

Misconception: Teams alone can drive agility.

Reality: Leaders must champion and embody agile values to enable agility across the organization. Leadership support fosters empowerment and creates a culture of psychological safety.

5. Rigid Structures Can Coexist with Agility

Misconception: Traditional governance fits with agility.

Reality: Traditional structures can create bottlenecks. Agility requires governance that empowers teams within clear boundaries rather than rigid controls.

6. Agility Means No Structure

Misconception: Agility = no process or plan.

Reality: Agility is a disciplined approach to prioritization and delivery. Plans adapt based on feedback, but the focus on delivering value remains constant.
True business agility transforms organizations into resilient, adaptable ecosystems—ready to meet whatever changes lie ahead. It’s not just about speed; it’s about sustainable growth and value.

Starting the business agility journey doesn’t require a massive overhaul; it starts with leadership commitment, cultural shifts, and flexible governance. With small, intentional steps, organizations can unlock the true potential of agility.

Closing thoughts

True business agility transforms organizations into resilient, adaptable ecosystems—ready to meet whatever changes lie ahead. It’s not just about speed; it’s about sustainable growth and value.

Have you seen these or others on your journey? Please share