Embrace Ambiguity, Agreeableness to Build an Agile Team

Enterprises that want to form agile teams to explore new opportunities can build them from within. The key is to nurture the right personality traits.

There are plenty of recipes for assembling an agile team but one of the first steps is to recognize the necessary ingredients to get started. The goal is to adapt and respond to the rapid-fire changes driven by new technology and evolving business models. That can be a challenge for enterprises built around legacy practices, infrastructure, and systems. The predictability that was once a strength can become a hinderance for the company.

Scrum.org, a provider of training and certification in software delivery, and management consulting firm McKinsey & Company unveiled guidelines to help enterprises prepare their personnel to operate as agile teams. Simply being flexible and open-minded are not enough. According to the recommendations, agile teams should cultivate agreeableness and learn to maintain focus while handling ambiguity.