As agile working becomes increasingly popular, it's important to establish a shared set of cultural values and behaviours that support business values and promote effective agile working to help teams succeed. Here are a few key ways in which Yard’s cultural values and behaviours promote agile working:
1. Always leaning in
Agile working demands constant engagement and active participation. The value of always leaning in emphasises the importance of being present and engaged in every aspect of the work. By leaning in, teams can learn from their experiences, make better decisions, and adapt to new challenges.
To encourage always leaning in, it's imperative that behaviours promote listening, challenging, and hunger. Teams should actively listen to each other, seeking to understand different perspectives and opinions. They should also challenge each other to think critically and push beyond their comfort zones.
Finally, they should maintain a hunger for learning and growth, seeking out new opportunities to develop their skills and knowledge.
2. Finding ways through
Agile working is all about finding solutions and adapting to change. The value of finding ways through encourages teams to remain resilient and tenacious in the face of obstacles. By staying focused and persevering, teams can find creative solutions to complex problems.
To enable teams to find ways through, it's necessary to adopt behaviours that promote flexibility, pragmatism, and speed. Teams should be flexible and adaptable, willing to change course when necessary.
They should also be pragmatic, focusing on finding practical solutions that work within the constraints of the situation. Finally, they should work quickly and efficiently, recognising that speed is often critical in the agile working environment.
3. Earning the right
Agile working requires trust and respect among team members. The value of earning the right highlights the importance of building trust by demonstrating competence, reliability, and a commitment to excellence. By earning the right to be trusted, team members can work together more effectively.
To earn the right, it's important to adopt behaviours that promote humility, proactivity, and altruism. Teams should approach their work with humility, recognising that they don't have all the answers and that they can learn from others. They should also be proactive, taking initiative and anticipating the needs of our clients and Yard. Finally, they should approach their work with altruism, seeking to benefit Yard and its customers rather than just themselves.
4. Proving our value
Agile working is ultimately about delivering value to customers. The value of proving our value indicates the importance of demonstrating the impact of our work on the business and its customers. By measuring and communicating our value, we can ensure that our work is aligned with the business's objectives and goals.
To prove our value, it's crucial to adopt behaviours that promote measuring, optimising, and future-proofing. Teams should be diligent in measuring the impact of their work, using data to make informed decisions and optimise their processes. They should also be forward-thinking, anticipating future needs and preparing for them proactively.
5. Being stronger together
Agile working demands collaboration and teamwork. The value of being stronger together underlines the importance of working together and leveraging each other's strengths to achieve shared objectives. By working together, teams can create a culture of mutual support, respect, and innovation.
To be stronger together, it's important to demonstrate behaviours that promote collaboration, sharing, and partnering. Teams should collaborate effectively, communicating openly and working together to achieve shared objectives.
They should also share their knowledge and expertise, helping each other to learn and grow. Finally, they should seek out partnerships with other teams and client partners, recognising that they can achieve more together than they can alone.
6. Efficiency
It is essential to adopt behaviours that promote commercialism, diligence, and efficiency. Teams should prioritise making decisions that benefit our clients and Yard’s performance. They should also be diligent in their work, ensuring that they are using resources effectively and minimising waste. Finally, they should strive for efficiency, finding ways to optimise their work processes to reduce costs.
Our cultural values and supporting behaviours help promote agile working at Yard and make us who we are ‘Yardies/One Yard’. By adoption of these values and behaviours, our teams work together more effectively, innovate more successfully, and deliver greater value to customers.