How the values of agility help to accelerate from rest
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Accelerating and resting may seem to oppose each other, but in reality, they reinforce one another. Rest is necessary to accelerate sustainably, and after acceleration, structured rest is again essential. Holidays or planned moments of rest, weekends, and daily sleep are structured moments of rest that help us ‘slow down to speed up’. This seems logical, but it’s not always easy. For many people, it’s challenging to step out of high gear. You’ve likely heard people say, “The vacation or weekend was too short to disconnect from work,” or “I had trouble sleeping because I was still thinking about work in my sleep.”
The reverse situation is also probably familiar: accelerating again after rest. The inbox is overflowing, meetings are piling up, and the daily routine suddenly feels all-consuming. Sometimes it seems like that restful break was just a distant dream.
How can we make the necessary transition between speeding up, resting, and speeding up again, more smoothly?
By returning to the six core values for agility:
- Together
- Learning
- Value
- Simplicity
- Fun
- Doing
Together, we can improve the transition from rest to acceleration. By consulting with colleagues and sharing tasks, we leverage each other’s strengths. No one has to do it alone; collaboration enables us to adapt quickly, inspiring and motivating one another. This applies just as much to the transition from acceleration to rest, where mutual support and agreements can make a difference.
Learning is also crucial. After a period of rest and reflection, let’s use that time to try new things. Perhaps there are better ways to tackle our tasks or new skills we can learn to perform our work more effectively. An open mindset helps us learn faster and work smarter instead of harder.
Additionally, focusing on Value is important. During the rest period, we could concentrate on what truly matters: rest, relaxation, reflection, health, and fun. Returning to the acceleration phase, we can maintain this value-oriented focus by prioritizing tasks that truly add value, avoiding unnecessary busyness and focusing on what really counts.
Maintaining Simplicity is essential. After a period of rest, work can quickly feel overwhelming. By keeping processes simple and focusing on core activities, we avoid getting bogged down in bureaucracy. A straightforward approach makes us more flexible and effective.
And let’s not forget Fun! Fun isn’t only for rest moments; it’s also part of acceleration. Humor and a positive attitude can make a big difference in maintaining momentum.
Finally, Doing. Instead of complaining about returning to routine, we can simply get started. By taking action, we set the first steps toward a productive and positive acceleration period, with a view toward the next rest moment.
Before you know it, you’re back in the “flow” of continuous acceleration.
In our book, Expedition Agility, we start with these six values for good reason. The values serve as an anchor to always return to, the foundation for our thinking and actions. In the bustle of daily life, these core values provide support and structure.
So, embrace these values for a smooth transition from rest to acceleration, and vice versa!
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Resilience in the workplace: How agility makes us resilient
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At a time when burnout and work pressure are the order of the day, I see more and more people who lose pleasure in their work or even succumb to the pressure. This makes me realize how important it is to make the workplace a source of inspiration and satisfaction again. Because work should give us energy, challenge us and help us grow. But how do we achieve that?
I believe that being agile makes you resilient. An agile mindset enables you to tackle challenges such as work pressure, conflict, and complex relationships with resilience and creativity. By being agile, we are stronger in our work and can better deal with changing circumstances.
What is an agile mindset?
An agile mindset means that you can think and act flexibly. You are able to learn quickly and continuously improve yourself. It allows you to see challenges as opportunities, and to adapt to what the situation demands of you.
Dealing with change
When an organization decides to take a different course, everyone reacts differently. If you are open to change, you are willing to embrace new perspectives and ways of working. But if, for example, you think that a change process is pointless, because previous attempts have failed, this will increase your resistance. Our perspective often determines how we feel and behave. The event remains the same, but the way we give that meaning makes all the difference.
Accept or change?
Sometimes change is inevitable. Perhaps a reorganization is imminent and there is little point in resisting it. Accept what you can’t change, and focus your energy on seeing opportunities within the new situation. This doesn’t mean you become passive; It is precisely because of this open attitude that you create space for positive changes in your work.
Thinking in terms of opportunities and possibilities
When you look at new circumstances with a focus on opportunities rather than problems, a world of possibilities opens up. This requires a conscious choice to approach situations differently. For example, do you recognize the pattern of yourself (or others) with comments such as “Yes, but…” or “That doesn’t work here”? Try a different language such as “Yes, and…”, “How can I contribute?” or “Let’s try.”
An agile mindset helps you be flexible and creative in solving problems and energizes you. It doesn’t have to be perfect; Practice helps you move forward every time.
Look at yourself
In conflicts, we often look to the other person as the cause. Yet we also play a role in it. You can’t change the other person, but you always have a choice in how you respond. We often act from an automatic reaction, triggered by the behavior of the other person. When you become aware of those triggers, there is room to react differently – often more effectively, light-heartedly or even humorously.
What is your role?
Together, we can contribute to a great workplace where collaboration, motivation and growth are key. The great thing is that this starts with yourself. By setting an example and inspiring others, we can create a work environment where everyone feels at home and proudly contributes to the organization. Small steps taken by each of us can add up to a big change.
Stand up and be a leader
Change within an organization cannot come from management alone; Everyone can contribute. This requires personal leadership. That starts with taking responsibility and believing in your own influence. Many people tend to put the responsibility on their manager, thus keeping themselves small. But growth starts with the courage to take action yourself.
What is your motivation?
Ask yourself why you want to make a positive contribution to your work environment. Do you want to get away from an uncomfortable situation or are you striving for an attractive vision of the future? By becoming aware of what really motivates you, you can discover how to connect your role in the organization with your values.
What’s holding you back?
Sometimes we know what we want and why, but we find it difficult to take action. Patterns of obstructive thoughts such as “I can’t change anything” or “I’m not being listened to” hold us back. Examine these beliefs by asking yourself questions: Is it really true? What did this thought ever bring you, and does it still help you now? Often, you discover that it’s time for a new, more powerful belief such as “I matter and deserve to be heard.”
Calimero vs Power Calimero
Let me introduce you to Power Calimero, my symbol for an agile mindset and personal leadership, believes he has influence and can bring about change. He doesn’t let himself be kept small and looks at what he can contribute. Power Calimero reminds me to see possibilities, to take initiative, and to act.
Many people recognize victim behavior in others, but are less likely to see it in themselves. When we complain without taking action, we unconsciously relinquish control and exhibit Calimero behavior. Instead, you can choose: accept the situation as it is or take action to change it. Behave like Power Calimero: take responsibility, believe in your influence, and take steps towards your goal.
Become a Power Calimero
I invite you to become a Power Calimero. It takes courage, energy, and sometimes creativity, but it’s worth it. Don’t get stuck in problems, step out of your comfort zone a little every day, and discover what you can achieve. By developing an agile mindset, you’ll be better able to embrace change, deal more strongly with work pressure, and contribute to a workplace where everyone feels good.
Do you want to know more about manoeuvrability? Then take a look at our book Expedition Agility and on the website amigos.nu/book, at working methods such as Power Calimero and An adventure in nature.
Author: Els Verkaik
Els is a change enthusiast and one of the amigos of amigo.nu
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Celebrating the book launch and connect event
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Last week was truly a week of celebration with our book launch and our annual (in-person) Agile Connect event. Plus, our friends Jeroen and Els celebrated their birthdays.
Book Launch
The moment had finally arrived: the launch of our book *Expedition Agility*. It was a memorable event that we celebrated with our family and friends of change. We went all out at Restaurant Zuiver in Utrecht with delicious snacks and drinks and gave an interactive presentation where we shared the journey we embarked on to create the book. Naturally, we also took our audience along on a journey through the book itself, giving them a chance to discover just how agile they really are. It was wonderful to celebrate this moment together and thank the people who contributed to the book, like our publisher OMJS, our reviewers Bianca, Esther, Merte, Jeroen, Rebecca, and Vivian, and of course Astrid, our graphic designer. Without them, this book wouldn’t have turned out so beautifully and professionally. Naturally, we are proud of our book and hope it inspires others to get started on making their own organizations lighter, more fun, and more agile.
Agile Connect Event
That same week, we tried out how to use the book in practice with a group of Agile Champions during our annual Agile Connect event. Using the practical cases brought in by the Agile Champions, we held an OpenSpace, where we used our book as an additional resource.
A useful tool for this is the Expedition Agility Canvas and its accompanying legend. These tools help you move from the current (disruptive) situation to the desired (more agile) situation. The legend provides an overview of the treasures you can find, the ballast you can unload, and the work forms (message in a bottle) you can use to help resolve or improve the disruptive situation.
Besides all the practical tips from the Agile Champions themselves, the book was considered a valuable addition to help take a step forward.
Would you also like to get started with *Expedition Agility*? Then visit our website at [https://amigos.nu/book/](https://amigos.nu/book/). Here, you can order the book, download the Expedition Agility Canvas, and access the work forms and other materials we’ve made available online for all friends of change – free to use and get started with right away!
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Our book Expedition Agility is ready!
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Last week we had a great milestone: Our book Expeditie wendbaarheid is at the printer and can be pre-sold! Yoehoe, the flag can fly! It took a while to work hard to meet the agreed deadline, but then we have something that we are really proud of. We can’t wait to get our hands on it! If you are already curious, we expect to have the book in Dutch and English on the shelves of bol.com at the beginning of September.
Did you know that this book was written especially for you, friend of change? It is your hand luggage for the journey to agility of you and your organization. It is for people who believe that they can make a difference, can take people with them and together make the organization a little better every day. Together, with pleasure and in a sustainable way, change things.
How? Is the question we answer with the book. In the book you will find our experiences and approach to helping organizations change. It is written as a journey of discovery, where you will discover step by step why your organization is not yet so agile. It is a graphically beautifully designed workbook that remains open very conveniently when you start working with it. You will find no less than 76 fun work forms that you can use very practically to bring about change. By structuring and bundling our experiences, it has already helped us solve practical situations. We hope that will be the case for you too.
The proverbial final steps were tough. Nevertheless, we look back with pleasure on the past years in which we have written and shaped the book. Each of us had our own role in this. By continuing to inspire each other and questioning critically, we have been able to make the book a little better each time. Fortunately, it did not become an endless iteration and we are now really finished with the Dutch version. The translation into English will be done this summer and then it will be time for the book launch! We will keep you informed!
Do you want to be one of the first to receive a copy of the book Expeditie wendbaarheid? Then reserve the book here now, and you can be sure that it will land on your doorstep in September.
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Invitation: Agile champion league event 12 September 2024
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Alas! Due to corona measures, the WWF Earth Hour run has been cancelled. Very unfortunate because we were really looking forward to it. As Amigos, we feel it is important to contribute positively to the world. We even had 5th place in raising sponsorship money.
Every year, WWF organises ‘Earth Hour’. Together with millions of people in more than 180 countries, we show that we want to protect our beautiful planet. This can be done by turning off the lights for 1 hour. This year, for the first time, a sponsored 10 km run was also organised. This global signal is important to put the problem and solution of climate change on the global map and join hands for nature on earth. Thanks to Earth Hour, more and more consumers, businesses, governments and countries are making sustainable choices.
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