Nimble teams outperform slow teams by 200-300%.
The explicit difference is about tempo and agility. Nimble teams move and adapt quickly because their work in a culture of growth. People feel free to work with initiative, inclusion and integrity.
Slow teams work in a culture of approvals. They are slow and inflexible. They are too busy doing what they're assigned to do to make growing together a priority. They move at the speed of permissions.
The implicit difference is their relationship to uncertainty.
Slow teams see uncertainty as preventable and problematic. The whole emphasis on approvals is to create a sense of certainty. It is only the illusion of certainty.
Nimble teams see uncertainty as inevitable and vital. They are clear that every plan and decision creates as much uncertainty as existed prior to them. They are clear that uncertainty is a rich source of possibility. Dedication to growth as the point and purpose of work infuses uncertainty with meaning. Nimble teams flourish in initiative, inclusion and integrity because they know that uncertainty engaged is the prime agent of growth.
When we are dedicated to growing together, every instance of uncertainty is a fresh opportunity space for growth. Nimble teams are clear on how to stay aligned and agile no matter how much uncertainty they encounter. What's most significant is how the nature of their work has little to no similarity to how slow teams operate and organize.