Agile Culture, Agile and Non-Agile Minded Employees' Interrelations in the Context of Agile-Minded Leader Paradox

Abstract

This study follows previous research indicating that leaders with an agile mindset are essential for establishing an agile organization. They directly influence the creation of such an organization, support agile-minded employees, and motivate non-agile staff to change their attitudes and behaviors.  This study examines the relationships between agile and non-agile employees in environments characterized by agile culture and those without it, while excluding the impact of agile-minded leaders from the analysis.  The results indicate that a firm or robust agile culture within an organization leads to a negative perception of non-agile-minded employees, while the opposite relationship is not significant. Thus, addressing the research question to which this study is dedicated—whether agile culture mitigates tensions between agile and non-agile staff—the answer is no; it does not. Consequently, the Agile-Minded Paradox remains one of the biggest challenges agile-minded leaders face when building or managing agile organizations. So, this constant tension caused the Agile Minded Leader Paradox to remain unsolved, but with awareness of it, agile-minded leaders can manage these tensions more effectively. Furthermore, this study provides insights into this complex situation. Specifically, in an agile culture where high standards are established, agile-minded staff (the minority) are not victims of non-agile-minded employees (the majority). Thus, even as a minority, agile-minded staff are very efficient and influential when working in a company dominated by agile culture.