Organizations must be able to adapt quickly, shift contexts, and make informed choices in a world in which information, relationships, technology, and organizations themselves are in constant flux. In light of this environment of relentless change, organizations today are particularly susceptible to falling behind in efforts to increase what we call “the agility factor,” the characteristics and behaviors that enable individuals and organizations to interact successfully with extreme change, to survive in a world in which the rate of change is increasing and unexpected events are becoming more radical in nature.

Some people are responding to the lack of predictability in the world around them by taking more personal control. For example, we see more college students choosing multiple majors, an increasing number of workers opting to start their own businesses, individuals becoming more active consumers, and people looking to their personal networks instead of outside institutions for social context. New possibilities are emerging for deeper creativity and collaboration, which many people are embracing – and others are forced to accept – to retain some personal stability in a continually changing environment.

But while certain individuals have the capacity to adapt to extreme change, as do many small and highly focused businesses, larger organizations – which must rely on planning and systems – are by nature slow to react. Is it possible for an organization to build systems that create a capacity to anticipate and react quickly to extreme change? We think so.