EPISODE 6

Darrell Rigby on the Adaptive Agile Enterprise

How quickly is your organization willing to stop and pivot? Tune in to today’s episode where Andy talks with Darrell Rigby, author and innovation leader, about the Agile methods that deliver results faster and motivate teams better, how the pandemic has revealed a workforce of eager innovators within organizations and the benefits of a diverse mindset.

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3 Insights from Darrell

1. Agile enterprises begin with an Agile model. Darrell explains:

“The problem with humans and human organizations is that we're complex. And so you don't always know exactly what's going to happen when you turn the dial and it's not as easy to figure out. I know we all love attribution models that say, ‘Well, which thing really had the greatest impact?’ But in a complex system like an organization, you don't really know. You have to move a bunch of things and see what effects you get and test and learn and say, ‘Ooh, we turned that a little too far. Let's turn that back this way.’”

2. Use Agile teams in the right places with the right people. A caution from Darrell:

“I think the biggest danger is that people who are unfamiliar with Agile start off by saying, ‘Well, let's work on something that isn't altogether that important. And therefore, if it doesn't work, what's the big deal?’ And the problem is if you're working on something that doesn't really matter, then you're going to have a tough time getting some of the best people in the company to work on it because who wants to work on something that doesn't really matter?”

3. Neuroscience is extraordinarily important to figuring out how you, as a leader, get the most out of a team. Here’s how:

“When we set a goal and we achieve it, our brains release dopamine. And when we're working very hard on something that we think is impactful, that gives us a greater purpose, our brains release serotonin. And when we're working hard and we're at risk of being fatigued, but we feel like we're accomplishing something good, our brains, our bodies release endorphins, and it overcomes exhaustion and it makes us feel good. And all of these things are things that good Agile leaders by nature do, and good Agile behaviors become addictive in the same way that a runners high becomes addictive.”

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About Your Host

Andy Murray

CEO and Founder of bigQUEST

Andy is a highly effective senior leader with a passion for growth, creating cultures that unleash talent, and building capabilities through collaboration across functions. He has held leadership roles across retail (Walmart), CPG (P&G), start-ups (Mercury 11, Saatchi X) and global organizations (Asda U.K.). A creative problem solver, innovator, and marketer, he is known for building high-performing teams and delivering results.

Andy is a lifetime Honorary Board member of the University of Arkansas's Center for Retail Excellence where he helped developed the Center's presence and Innovation conferences. He is also an Early Board Member for the Soderquist Center for Leadership and Ethics college. Andy was inducted into the Shopper Marketing Hall of Fame in 2013 for his pioneering work in developing best practices and industry leadership in the emerging field of Shopper Marketing. He currently serves as Chairman of Asda Foundation.

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About Our Guest

Darrell Rigby

Head of Bain & Company's Global Innovation & Agile Practices

In 42 years of consulting, Mr. Rigby has led assignments in a wide variety of industries, including innovative growth strategies for more than 100 of the world’s leading companies.

Mr. Rigby is a frequent speaker and author on strategy issues, including Agile Innovation, BothBrain® innovation, Open-Market Innovation, Winning in Turbulence, and Omnichannel Retailing. He has been a keynote speaker at global business conferences and has made media appearances on CNN Moneyline, CNBC, NPR, and Bloomberg. His research is widely published in the business pages of many U.S. and international publications, including The Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek, and The Financial Times. He is a certified Scrum Master, and skilled Agile trainer, coach, and practitioner. He recently co-authored articles about Agile Innovation in the Harvard Business Review, including “The Agile C-Suite” “Agile at Scale,” and “Embracing Agile”.

Mr. Rigby is the author of the book Doing Agile Right – Transformation Without Chaos (Harvard Business Press, May 2020). In 1993, he founded and launched Bain's Management Tools Survey, a global survey on the usage, satisfaction, and effectiveness of the most widely used management tools among a broad range of senior executives. For the past 25 years, he has published Management Tools: An Executive's Guide, containing the 25 most popular and pertinent tools.