Agility is the ability of an organization to renew itself, adapt, change quickly, and succeed in a rapidly changing, ambiguous, turbulent environment - McKinsey & Company
Agility in the NoW
Our team has been studying, practicing and teaching Agile principles for nearly a decade, and have subsequently led us to the following “truths”:
Agility is not a leadership principle. Truly Agile teams have the frameworks and mindsets deeply entrenched into the company culture.
Agility at scale is really, really hard.
Agility is not an option in an exponential world. It’s your operational foundation.
The pace, focus, and flexibility that organizations displayed through the global pandemic is how modern companies have long been operating. The 3-year strategic plan has been reduced to 1-year, annual plans now focus on quarters, and quarterly decisions and progress happen in mere weeks. Furthermore, the wide-spread adoption of hybrid workplaces means companies are seeking methods to ensure their teams are aligned to strategy, increasingly collaborative, and focused on measurable outcomes. It’s no easy task.
If this sounds like your business, you’re probably wondering how to adopt or sustain these new operating “standards” without causing organizational fatigue and negative impacts on the company culture. The solution is the NoW OS (operating system).
This is our SIGNATURE AGILE PROGRAM and has been brought to companies and teams ranging from startup tech companies and multinationals, to quasi-government entities and financial institutions.
Since 2014, we have worked collaboratively with startup tech companies and large corporations to form an operating system that every modern company can adopt. The OS is rooted in OKRs (objectives & key results) and a Scrum (agile) methodology, but also weaves in inspirations from our personal experiences with Scaling Up, the Lean Startup, the 5-Dysfunctions of a Team, the Happiness Advantage and Radical Candor…just to name a few!
This is a lightweight operating system that can be initially implemented in less than 1-month. Our ongoing support will ensure that the framework becomes habitual, while tailoring it to your unique culture over time.
Below are the key components of the NoW OS when adopted in it’s fullest form:
Audit and report on how your team current spends their “work” time.
Implementing OKRs to replace or complement your annual plans.
Adopting a 2-week sprint using a modified scrum methodology.
Commitment to “innovation days” and micro, just-in-time, lifelong learning.
The common outcomes on your team include:
Operational efficiency - a reduction in meetings and time on emails by up to 30%.
Hyper-focus on priority “work” and improved resource allocating.
Elevated alignment, cross-functional collaboration and transparency in their “work”.
Measuring what matters - data centric, outcome focused teams that avoid “vanity metrics”.
A more human-centered approach to problem solving and value creation.
Use-cases for the NoW OS
General elevation of organizational performance.
An operational framework that empowers the hybrid workplace.
Adoption of a 4-day workweek.
Modern operating system that will retain and attract top talent.
“With Rocky’s guidance, we implemented the NoW OS system within our organization and it was a game-changer! It helped us operationalize and prioritize our strategic initiatives and move the needle faster on the outcomes we were working towards.”
— Brea Lake, CEO, Accelerate Okanagan
“Our revenues have increased by 50% in the 18-months since implementing the NoW OS.”
— Mike French, CEO, Real-time Networks
“The NoW OS has enabled us to do highly concentrated work, while breaking down communication silos, and creating a sense of ownership with our team. We have never had so many achievements to celebrate in any given quarter or year as we do now!”
— Peter Mate, CEO, Planit Canada
Our consulting expertise.
Annual & Quarterly Planning (with OKRs)
Our Team have trained 100’s of leaders and companies on the OKR framework. We’ve created a powerful experience (virtual or in-person) that takes the pressure off your team to facilitate and contribute to your annual and quarterly planning.
From pre-work and facilitation, to post-session reviews and on-going support, the NoW of Work will inspire and align your leadership on the top priorities of the organization/team.
Winning with Hybrid Teams
Anchored on our NoW OS and complemented with our operational efficiency standards, we will enable your hybrid teams so they enjoy significant work/life integration, while leadership maintains confidence that organizational goals are being achieved.
The modern team can be described as self-managed, transparent, collaborative and outcome focused. Achieving this in a hybrid workplace is what we do best!
The 4-day Workweek
The 4-day workweek is a trendy topic, but the transition, impact on the employee experience, and ultimately the success of the initiative, requires a proven framework that the NoW of Work has developed and implemented over the years. Imagine a workweek where your Teams deliver more value in 4-days, than they previously did in 5. Yes, it’s absolutely possible. Contact us NoW if you’re ready to dive right in, or run a pilot within your organization.
Our core training programs.
While we would love to be forever partners with you and your team, the NoW of Work believes strongly in helping you build internal agile capabilities.
Our programs meet many Government training grant criteria. These programs will reimburse a substantial portion our fees, and we would be happy to connect you with our current grant partners to assist you in the application process.
The NoW OS
As outlined above, the NoW OS is a framework that we can implement for your team OR train them to adopt and cascade it throughout your organization. Whether your motivation is to enable the 4-day workweek or hybrid teams, or improve operational efficiency, we will provide your leadership the tools they require to operate like the most modern companies in the world.