Becoming Effectively Agile in Just 4 Weeks

Everybody talks about being agile, and many think they are - but what exactly is agility about again? To ensure that agile leadership is not just another buzzword and that executives and organizations take completely new approaches, the WU Executive Academy has developed a new four-week online program for Agile Leadership. The innovative training format makes it possible for participants to learn - at their own pace and when and where it suits them - everything they need to know about how agile organizations work, how they can develop their organizations in an agile manner by adopting the right mindset and how to effectively harness the power of agility in practice.

“Agility is not only one of the most important concepts for organizations in the 21st century but also a mindset for each and every one of us. Agility is about adapting swiftly to changing realities. It is about putting people - be they customers or members of the organization - and their needs center stage. It is about creating room for innovation and creativity. And that's exactly what is more important today than ever,” says Prof. Barbara Stöttinger, Dean of the WU Executive Academy, with conviction.

There has never been a faster, easier and literally more agile way of learning everything about how agile organizations work and how executives can become agile themselves: The WU Executive Academy's new online program gives participants a chance to learn, experience and try out new things - all at their own pace. The one-month learning journey consists of four parts, each lasting a week.

Their newly acquired understanding of agile organizations will open up completely new possibilities for participants: They will get the tools to create the workplace that suits them best. They will be able to make a difference in their teams and to make their ideas a reality, and they will find greater joy in their work.

“Through instructional videos and study materials as well as a selection of podcasts and TED talks, participants learn how to develop an agile mindset and how to make their teams fit for agile working methods. “What we aim to do is give participants, in a minimum of time, a solid grounding in agile leadership and, even more importantly, a set of practical tools they can use right away,” says Kathrin Köster, lecturer in the instructional videos and co-designer of the program.

©WU Executive Academy

The “Got it?” feature gives participants a change to test what they have learned so far. Pieces of textual input known as “shifts” provide them with valuable impetus for reflecting on their current ways of thinking and working, and help them deepen their insight and understanding. In “spotlight videos”, Kathrin Köster explains, among other things, what agility is and what it is not. Under the heading “Connected”, participants can raise job-related issues and ask colleagues, friends and family members for their input on them. So-called “anchors” give participants and teams that take part in the program as a group an opportunity to openly exchange views and opinions with one another.

“As we know how significant peer feedback is in group settings, we also offer moderated forums if necessary. Because sometimes it is important to give a particular direction to the interaction among people,” says Konrad Holleis, and adds: “Our open and interactive learning formats are designed to instill in participants a new mindset conducive to interaction, co-creation and collaboration.”

The program is intended for corporate teams and, in particular, for individuals who have some leadership experience and would like to apply agile leadership in their organizations.

It is also possible to deliver “Agile Leadership” as a customized Moodle course built around the corporate identity of an organization. Upon request, the format can be extended into a blended-learning type of training by incorporating in-class modules taught by the lecturers of the program. For (private) individuals, the online course is bookable at any time.

Get more information about the online program "Agile Leadership"!

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