Welcome to another insightful episode of the Mind Your Leadership podcast! This week, we are honored to host Nigel Thurlow, Toyota's first Chief of Agile and co-creator of the Flow System. With years of experience in Agile and Lean methodologies, Nigel shares invaluable insights into how organizations can move beyond profit-driven models to create human-centered workplaces. Our conversation explores the role of leadership in fostering agility, collaboration, and self-management, as well as the paradigm shift needed to balance people, planet, and profit.
The Paradigm Shift: People, Planet, and Profit
Nigel Thurlow emphasizes that true agility is not about rigid frameworks or checklists; it’s about behaviors, attitudes, and interactions. He discusses the urgent need for organizations to adopt a new paradigm that balances people, planet, and profit. This shift, he explains, is crucial for creating sustainable and thriving workplaces that attract and retain top talent.
Nigel highlights the role of human-centered leadership in driving this change, emphasizing that leaders must create environments where employees feel valued, safe, and empowered to innovate and grow.
The Flow System: A New Approach to Business Agility
As the co-creator of the Flow System, Nigel introduces this approach as a next-generation framework for achieving business agility. Unlike traditional methods, the Flow System focuses on the interconnectedness of systems, teams, and individuals. It prioritizes psychological safety, open communication, and collaboration to enable organizations to adapt and thrive in complex environments.
Nigel shares real-world examples of how the Flow System has been implemented to foster agility, improve team dynamics, and achieve sustainable success.
Lessons in Leadership and Followership
Leadership, according to Nigel, is about enabling others to grow and succeed. He discusses the importance of self-leadership as a foundation for guiding others effectively. Leaders must focus on creating environments that allow team members to step into leadership roles themselves, fostering a culture of mutual trust and accountability.
Nigel also touches on the often-overlooked concept of followership, explaining how it plays a critical role in driving collaboration and achieving organizational goals.
Practical Takeaways for Leaders
Throughout the episode, Nigel shares actionable insights for leaders looking to embrace agility and humanize their workplaces:
- Agility is rooted in behaviors and attitudes, not just methodologies.
- Creating psychological safety is essential for fostering innovation.
- Leaders must incentivize behaviors that align with organizational values.
- Understanding workflows and processes is key to driving improvement.
- Communication and collaboration are the foundation of effective agile environments.
Conclusion
Our conversation with Nigel Thurlow offers a powerful call to action for leaders to rethink traditional approaches and embrace agility as a mindset. By creating humanized workplaces that prioritize people, planet, and profit, organizations can achieve sustainable success and enable their teams to thrive.
We hope you enjoy this episode of the Mind Your Leadership podcast. Stay tuned for more inspiring
conversations with thought leaders who are reshaping the future of work.
Full Bio:
Nigel Thurlow is Toyota’s first Chief of Agile and the co-creator of the Flow System, a pioneering approach to business agility. With a background in Lean and Agile methodologies, Nigel is a sought-after speaker, coach, and consultant who has worked with organizations worldwide to implement human-centered leadership practices. He is passionate about creating workplaces where people are empowered to grow, collaborate, and innovate.
