Of all the things companies can strive to achieve, agility delivers the highest return in today's business environment, according to Peter Weill, director of MIT Sloan School of Management's Center for Information Systems Research.

"Business environments are becoming less predictable," Weill said at a recent Massachusetts Institute of Technology conference. Cycles are shorter; quicker refreshes are required; and companies have to contend with the pressures of globalization, thinning margins, rampant merger and acquisition activity, and tighter regulations.

The center's examination of hundreds of companies shows agile companies can better navigate these choppy waters, increasing revenue and profits faster.

The paradox, Weill said, is that the most agile companies are those that have digitized and standardized their core business processes and platforms. That represents a great opportunity for IT leaders to drive reform.

Agile firms have several practices in common, he said:

Regarding growth, Weill said there are four core operating models and companies should focus on one. His models:

Weill's main message was that IT leaders can help companies recognize the importance of business agility and then play a key leadership role in achieving that goal.