Aspiring to become a leading hub for research and education on agile methodologies, we present the new series: ‘Agile Pills‘.
In this series, we engage with experts in the field to explore what defines an agile organization, how it continuously evolves, and the core elements that enable agility in practice.
Each episode is designed to bring you concise and impactful insights into the world of business agility, drawing from real-world experience of our guests.
Get inspired by their experiences and gain invaluable perspectives on the principles of agility and its application in today’s workplace!
Follow our LinkedIn page to stay updated on upcoming episodes and access the full interviews using the hashtags #AgileLab #PillolediAgile #AgilePills!
Ep.1 – The True Essence of Agile Transformation
In our first episode, we welcomed Marco Calzolari, CEO and co-founder of Agile Reloaded, and editor of the Italian version of Neil Perkin’s “Agile Transformation”. Marco highlights: “Agile Transformation is an often-overused term, interpreted in various ways, which requires discipline, study, and specific skills”.
Do not miss this interesting interview!
Ep.2 – Misconceptions About Agile
In the second episode, Christine Aykac, an Agile Project and Leadership Advisor Specializing in Innovative Learning Strategies, tackles some of the most prevalent misconceptions surrounding agile practices. She addresses key misunderstandings, including:
- There is no planning in Agile
In reality, we need to understand that agile requires planning, which is not a strict path to follow, but it is the means that gets us moving.
- Agile is only for software development
Agile principles can be effectively applied across various industries to drive efficiency and responsiveness.
- Agile is a ‘one size fits all’ approach
In reality, Organizations need to find what works best for their unique needs and adapt accordingly. Being agile is not blindly following a specific method but tailoring it to fit the organization’s individual challenges and goals.
Ep.3 – Self-Disruption As a Strategy for Success
In the third episode, Marco Calzolari returns to discuss how companies like Apple and Netflix have leveraged self-disruption as a key strategy for long-term success. Rather than merely reacting to market changes, these organizations have proactively anticipated the future and driven change themselves.
Get inspired by these cases of self-disruption and discover how it can be the key to your company’s success!
Ep.4 – Team Collective Intelligence
In this fourth episode, Christine Aykac – agile project and leadership advisor specializing in innovative learning strategies – explores the concept of Collective Intelligence as a key element in building successful agile teams.
Christine explains how team collective intelligence goes far beyond simple “groupthink”. It emerges when diverse team members bring together their unique perspectives and skills to tackle complex challenges, spark creativity, and achieve results that no one could accomplish alone!
“Knowledge is power, but sharing knowledge is empowerment,” Christine reminds us.
Are you curious to see how collective intelligence can transform your team’s performance? Do not miss this insightful episode!
Ep.5 – Can Strategy and Agility Coexist?
In this episode of AgilePills, we welcome Guido Bortoluzzi (Full Professor at the University of Trieste) and Marco Balzano (Research Fellow at the University of Trieste), authors of the book “Strategic Agility in Dynamic Business Environments: Unveiling Foundations, Current Perspectives, and Future Directions”.
Marco explains how strategic agility integrates two seemingly contradictory concepts: long-term strategy and rapid adaptability.
“Strategic agility requires firms not only to establish a distinctive and valuable market position, but to do so with swiftness, enabling them to capture emerging opportunities rapidly”.
Guido enriches the discussion with the case of Gruppo Danieli, to demonstrate how businesses can be/become strategically agile.
Ep.6 – Is “Resilience” Sufficient or do Companies Need “AntiFRAGILITY” to Deal with VUCA?
In the 6 episode, we welcome Vittorio Polizzi, Agile Coach, to share his insights on the difference between resilience and antifragility.
Vittorio explains how the traditional concept of resilience often falls short in a world where unpredictability reigns. Instead, antifragility emerges as the key: the ability not just to withstand stress but to use it as a springboard for growth and improvement.
“Antifragility allows us to seize opportunities for further development and achieve greater effectiveness in highly complex contexts,” Vittorio highlights.
Ep.7 – What is Agile Marketing?
In this new episode of hashtag AgilePills, we interview Deborah Ghisolfi, Managing Director at Be Relevant, to explore the concept of Agile Marketing.
Deborah explains that Agile Marketing follows the general principles of Agile. It is a mindset that emphasizes critical thinking, adaptability, and the ability to execute adaptations of campaigns rather than insisting on a plan. This agile shift allows businesses to move from long-term, static campaigns to smaller, dynamic ones that evolve based on real-time feedback, but it can also reduce the time to develop a campaign or the time to market.
“Agile marketing means working in small steps with continuous refinements, shifting from fixed plans to a more flexible and adaptive approach,” Deborah highlights.