With ICT investment and digital transformation efforts growing across the GCC, driven by initiatives like the ‘We are the UAE’ 2031’ Vision, many organisations still face challenges with legacy systems and rigid processes. As we move beyond a quieter-than-expected summer in the UAE, it’s worth reflecting on how businesses in the region can build resilience and agility through digital transformation, especially in today's uncertain economic landscape.

Are we stuck in 'change' inertia?  Reading through 2022 & 2023 reports from the Business Agility Institute, I was struck by a recurring theme: the top challenges companies face in their business agility journey have remained consistent over the last five years.

This could be seen as a grim reality. However, the new challenges highlighted in the 2023 report reveal that we're making progress, even if it’s not always apparent.

Having a recent frustrating experience with my business banking provider made me question whether traditional banks are truly prepared to navigate the evolving landscape of banking and financial services. Which banks will ride the wave of change and flourish, and which will falter or fail?

Rebecca, Enterprise Agile Coach, ICAgile Agile in HR certified, reflects on her experience of the importance of People & Culture to support teams and leaders in navigating cultural dimensions, when working globally.

We take a look at the power of building a people-centric, innovation focused culture, through the lens of Netflix and their values. Our Founder reflects on her experience of how strong values can help companies whether major changes.

What fuels real innovation? Why do some household names fail to keep up with the market? In traditional organisations companies may adopt an accelerated innovation pipeline, or host Ideation competitions. Some incumbents build Greenfield digital teams to support rapid innovation. However, these models tend to have varying success and short-lived results.

In traditional organisations companies may adopt an accelerated innovation pipeline, or host ideation competitions. These models tend to have varying success and short-lived results. Without values and principles such as those at the heart of the Netflix business model, ones which are exemplified by a transformational leadership team, real innovation will not be a staple of an organisation.

Agile is gaining increasing adoption throughout organisations. Agile methods have moved beyond just software development. However, there’s ongoing confusing as to what is meant by Agile Adoption vs. Agile Transformation and Digital Transformation vs. Agile Adoption or Transformation. In this post I’ll try highlight the differences and interrelationships between them, in simple terms.

There are a dizzying array of methodologies and frameworks which fall under the umbrella of Agile. Trying to dissect the frameworks and understand the subtle differences between each can be confusing. I’ve created some infographics to cut through the confusion and provide some context to the world of agile.

Conflict in the workplace is inevitable, but it isn't always a bad thing! Being in SLT and heading up Agile Delivery teams, Rebecca has experienced conflict as a great way to work through important problems and issues. Equally, she’s seen it divide teams and negatively impact collaboration and morale. Discover the difference between constructive and destructive conflict.

Rebecca explores the importance of an effective kick-off, with a focus on the human-centric, relationship-based factors which are essential to setting teams up for success.

Rebecca provides her tactics for shifting the needle. She recommends not to simply ‘do’ Agile but encode Agile into the DNA of your team. Companies in the UAE are hungry for transformation across their digital ecosystems. There is a significant point of failure which is about the perception that an organisation is Agile, when the reality is that they are ‘doing’ Agile but not truly being Agile.