The Agile Leader

"You can't have an agile company without agile leadership. Most 'traditional' leaders, however, struggle to make the transition. It is not that they lack the desire. Rather, agile practices upend so many of the hard-won instincts honed by leaders over years of experience. The Agile Leader is a well-researched, thoughtful guide for those wanting to make the leap. Like any good leadership coach, Simon Hayward reminds us we must first look to ourselves, before asking others to follow." * Bill Winters, CEO, Standard Chartered Bank *
"In these turbulent times, thousands of companies are attempting agile transformations in order to survive. The primary cause of failure is a lack of agile leadership, which Simon Hayward's book addresses forcefully. Reading it may save your company." * Jeff Sutherland, Co-creator of Scrum, Creator of Scrum@Scale, and signatory of the The Agile Manifesto *
"In his thought-provoking and necessary new book, Simon Hayward shares his deep understanding and sharp analysis of how organizations can and must embrace change, at speed and scale, to achieve growth. Leaders who follow his wise prescription for agility - acting as both disruptor and enabler, fostering a culture of collaboration and respect, building trust, and always staying close to customers - can emerge not only as trailblazers in their industries but also as catalysts of shared success for all stakeholders." * Julie Sweet, CEO, Accenture *
"Digital is both disrupting and revolutionizing the way we work. Adopting a more agile style of leadership enables leaders to reshape organizations so people can flourish in a future augmented by new technology. The insights in this book will help leaders to transform the nature of work by enabling people to learn and adapt at speed, leading to greater efficiency" * Paul Daugherty, Group Chief Executive - Technology, and CTO, Accenture, Co-author, Human+Machine *
"In a world that's getting faster, we need to move quickly, learn and adapt. This book provides a blueprint for a more agile style of leadership to help you focus on customers and stay ahead in a highly competitive and unpredictable environment. Highly recommended." * Peter Pritchard, Group CEO, Pets at Home *
"In this book, Simon Hayward breaks down the complex subject of agile leadership into a series of steps that any organization can take. For Yodel, introducing a more agile and connected style of leadership was key to becoming more centred on customers, creating cultural change, and turning our business around. We kept things simple, turned managers into agile leaders, and got colleagues on board with new ways of working. The difference is incredible, and Simon's thinking has been a big part of that." * Mike Hancox, CEO, Yodel *
"The Agile Leader lays out a clear plan for CEOs and their teams to embrace new ways of working that will unlock the agile potential in their organizations. I would recommend this book to any leader who wants to improve their organization's clarity of thinking and speed of decision making. It describes how leaders at all levels can create a climate for agility and diversity to flourish, leading to greater innovation and improved customer experiences." * Christie Smith, Global Lead, Talent and Organization, Accenture *
"This book describes how getting the right mix of leadership and teamwork wins every time. Whether we are running a global business or a famous football club, the need for agile leadership has never been so acute. Great leaders build confidence, change the rules, and focus on the priorities that will make the difference. I can't recommend this book too highly." * Collette Roche, Chief Operating Officer, Manchester United Football Club *
"Agility is a must in a world that is constantly changing. This book is full of practical advice and covers everything you need to think about to transform your organization into an agile business. I found the agile leadership paradox that Simon Hayward sets out really helped me to think about how I adapt my leadership style to become both an enabler and a disruptor." * Penny James, CEO, Direct Line Group *
"The rapid disruption brought about by the pandemic demonstrated to me the clear advantage of agile leadership. During those months, I kept the first edition of this book close to hand. In this new edition, Simon Hayward provides more inspiration and timely advice for leaders to draw from on the journey ahead." * David Horne, Managing Director, LNER *