Why develop your ability to adapt at work?
At PerformanSe, if there’s one topic that really fascinates us, it’s soft skills – the emotional and behavioural skills that are often contrasted with hard skills, which refer more to technical expertise.
What is adaptability in the workplace? How can you acquire, develop and maintain this skill? Here’s what you need to know about this essential soft skill.
What is adaptability?
Adaptability is the ability to adapt easily to new and changing situations or environments.
Howard Gardner, the American psychologist and father of the theory of multiple intelligences, speaks of emotional intelligence and refers to the ability to manage one’s emotions in order to adapt better to new or uncertain situations.
Tarun Khanna, a professor at Harvard Business School, clarifies the terms ‘situational’ or ‘contextual intelligence’, which he describes as ‘the ability to understand the limits of our knowledge and adapt it to an environment different from the one in which it was developed’.
Adaptability thus encompasses:
- The ability to adapt emotionally
- The ability to understand our changing environment
It enables us to adopt new actions and behaviours appropriate to the new situation.
What is the purpose of adaptability?
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01.
01. Coping with new situations when changing jobs or teams
In a business context, what works in one place does not necessarily work elsewhere. Adaptability allows you to take into account the context and corporate culture in order to adapt to new situations and be more agile.
It enables you to analyse situations quickly, listen to and understand perspectives different from your own, and integrate more effectively into new environments. Adaptable people also draw on observations of past behaviour to decide how best to act in the present.
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02.
02. Tackling unprecedented challenges
Digital technology and the development of artificial intelligence are revolutionising the way we work. Digital transformation, remote working, ChatGPT… The world of work is changing very rapidly, yet adaptability is precisely what makes it easier to embrace change.
This soft skill enables you to take on new challenges, trust in your own resources to overcome your fears, manage stress better when faced with the unknown, and adopt new, appropriate behaviours.
How can you develop your adaptability in the workplace?
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01.
01. Get used to stepping out of your comfort zone
Our brains are instinctively geared towards survival, prioritising short-term well-being and familiar things. Habits and routines provide structure, but we can quickly fall into a kind of rigidity that hinders progress.
The solution? Proactively practise dealing with unexpected scenarios: travel, overcome your fear of public speaking with a drama class, explore new activities…
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02.
02. Take a step back
Accept complexity and change when it arises. Nature is cyclical, the world is constantly evolving — and the world of work is no exception. Taking the time to analyse the situation with a clear head brings clarity and strengthens your ability to understand a problem.
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03.
03. Silencing your fears
Whilst fear is a necessary emotion for analysing a situation and reacting quickly, it is worth remembering that nearly 95% of our worst-case scenarios are unfounded and irrational.
An effective exercise: write down your fears on paper. By naming them and becoming aware of them, you can often play them down and come up with an action plan to overcome them.
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04.
04. Rely on the collective
Surrounding yourself with people from diverse backgrounds is key to developing your ability to adapt. A variety of perspectives, knowledge and skills allows you to explore different approaches. Fostering collective intelligence enables you to move forward more quickly by drawing on the best in everyone.
Would you like to develop your soft skills?
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