Perspectives on Internal Communication in the Context of Agile Management: A Conceptual Assessment of the Current Positioning

The radical changes in the economic, technological, political and social environment of companies that have been evident for some years now are pushing conventional management methods to their limits. The serious changes, often triggered by digitalization, mean that companies need a changed self-image, even a new identity, in order to continue to be successful in competition. Customer expectations and competitive constellations are changing and, as a result, products, organizational structures, process design and management, and even the adaptation of entire business models. In response to these new challenges, the maxim of agility is gaining increasing attention in corporate management. This refers to the ability of companies to act with commitment and initiative, even in times of change, thanks to their extraordinary adaptability. Agility is understood as communication-centered action that is guided by the four communication-related steering variables of Purpose (meaning and orientation), Mindset (attitude and logic of action), Relation (collaboration and networking) and Competence (knowledge and diversity). These steering variables run in a virtuous circle between the determinants of agile action, individual attention and organizational alertness, and in this constellation enable the self-direction of teams and are the basis for communication-centered leadership. Against the backdrop of an unresolvable complexity of the company environment, this supplies employees space for creation, enables them to find their way in a networked, complex world, and empowers them to develop successful solutions by thinking and acting freely.