There are many things we face everyday that are outside our control. How we see things and our responses to them will be a major factor in staying ahead of the pack in our personal and professional lives.
What is adaptability?
Adaptability helps us manage (and lead) in unusual situations without explicit instruction. It involves being able to rapidly learn new skills and behaviours in response to changing circumstances. It is directly related to our mindset.
Why is adaptability important ?
If you are looking to develop and grow, adaptability is one of the top five skills most valued skills needed to succeed in the future. Over the past couple of decades inter-personal relationship skills have been increasingly recognised as one of the key components to lead successfully.
Research also shows leadership and relationships failures arise from an inability to adapt and let go of old behaviours.
Look back but don’t stare
It’s important learn from our past experiences to inform how we might tackle the next unexpected challenge. Getting stuck there though reduces our ability to remain open and flexible in our approach to change, accepting that we will learn to learn (and unlearn) along the way is critical.
Why Do I need to develop this skill?
Demonstrating adaptability in the workplace immediately increases your own pathways and makes you more valuable.
An ability to be flexible and have the ability to respond effectively to changing conditions — even unplanned – is essential, particularly in current economic conditions.
An adaptable leader will be able to solve problems in a fast-paced environment and trust their judgement when making difficult decisions, whilst still recognising that what worked before is not necessarily the answer.
As you develop the need to learn to empower, delegate, form strategic alliances and let go of some of the skills that enabled them to perform effectively in earlier roles will set you apart.
How can I develop this ability?
We haven’t got the scope here to discuss some of the behavioural and practical steps you can take. We’d love to talk about where you want to be so we can support you getting there and help you see things differently.