Speed. Change. Now.
These are the words guiding businesses into the future and leaders must be ready.
As famed author and highly toted executive coach Marshall Goldsmith says, “What got you here, will not get you there.” The modern and future leader must be versatile and adaptable.
Versatility and adaptability are not easy skills to obtain. It takes pushing comfortability to grow in these skills. A global survey by Universum and CEMS (the Global Alliance in Management Education) found that 61 percent of hiring executives recommend working outside comfort zones as a key career driver for new hires.
Roland Siegers, Executive Director of CEMS, adds, “In an ever-changing, fast-paced working world, competition is high, so graduates need to find ways to set themselves apart. As international assignments within global companies open up, candidates with the language skills and the ability to adapt to new and challenging environments have a clear advantage when it comes to securing roles and progressing in the workplace.”
Future leaders must not only be able to adapt, but master adaptability to be successful. With businesses, markets and operations constantly changing today, adaptability is more important than ever.
The Future of Job Reports by World Economic Forum projects critical thinking and creativity, two skills directly tied to adaptability, to be two of the top three skills needed by 2020.
Every human has four endowments – self awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom… The power to choose, to respond, to change. – Stephen Covey
Adaptability is an emotional intelligence skill driving leaders to adjust quickly and achieve success. Adaptable leaders are not detoured by the impossible, stuck in routine nor derailed by opposition. Rather, adaptable leaders move quickly and deliberately to get results.
Why Adaptability Is Needed For The Future
In 1995, Daniel Goleman authored Emotional Intelligence and the concept has grown in popularity since. As businesses continue to change, leaders will need greater emotional intelligence abilities to handle the change.
Although emotional intelligence might be at first perceived to only measure emotions, empathy and moods, it can determine a person’s critical thinking skills as well. Future business will be driven by leaders who can process information accurately and emotions directly influence a person’s capability in such areas.
Most employees need better decision making and analyzing abilities, but it is especially important for future leaders to achieve success. A leader’s ability to adapt will determine production in analyzing, decision making, critical thinking and problem solving through change.
Mastering adaptability takes speed though. Leaders who adapt quickly and efficiently will stand out among competition. Businesses need leaders who can change, but also change quickly. They need leaders who can process information, but also process quickly. Adaptability alone is nothing special, but adaptability with speed is a sign of mastership.
Skills To Increase the Speed of Adaptability and Become a Master Adapter
Future leaders can increase their speed of adaptability by mastering the development of supporting skills to adaptability. Here are a few supporting skills:
1. Creativity & Innovation. Leaders who efficiently identify alternative approaches will be an asset to a growing business. Out of the box thinkers hurdle obstacles in business with great creativity. The right side of the brain needs to be exercised to build confidence in adverse moments and increase adaptability speed.
2. Critical Thinking. Varying situations will complex business decisions and direction in the future. Future leaders can elevate their game by learning how to think deeply to solve obscure situations. The better a leader can process more information and act on that information, the more important they will be to development and progress.
3. Short Memory. Even the best of leaders can get hung up on an event or moment. Great leaders do not waste unnecessary time on the emotions of a failure, arguments or mistakes. Growing leaders learn from their mistakes, but also learn quickly.
4. Gracious. Leaders continually experience mistakes and failures by others. Master adapters are gracious, but not pushovers. The better a leader can help others fail forward graciously, the more respect and admiration they will earn from others. Excellent leaders are wise in their grace.
5. Coachable. Leaders must be coachable. Great, adaptable leaders welcome coaching. Leaders need the help of others pouring into them. Emerging leaders receive coaching intentionally. Taking action from coaching advice will grow leadership abilities.
6. Growth Mindset. Carol Dweck authored the book Mindset which focuses on two mindsets people possess. You either have a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. People who are attempting to prove their worth, typically have a fixed mindset. A fixed mindset prevents growth after failure. Leaders with a growth mindset seek out opportunities to stretch their skills to never stop growing as leaders.
7. Resilient. Leaders growing in adaptability bounce back quickly. These leaders fight for results. If one path doesn’t work, they consequently rebound by taking a different angle or approach. Adaptable leaders do not quit easily. Growing leaders learn how to maintain energy and drive through roadblocks toward success.
8. Emotional Regulation. Regulating emotions is key to adaptability. If leaders maintain or control their emotions in complex situations, they will in result remain focused and achieve great results. Leaders must hold their emotions accountable in order to progress in their growth in adaptability.
In Summary
In conclusion, future leaders need greater emotional intelligence and mastering adaptability is one of the greatest needs. Leaders who move quickly and flexibly towards a goal will achieve success in the future. The key to adaptability is continual progress and speed. If leaders are not able to progress, they lack true adaptability that powers a business today and in the future.
***This article was originally published on JaredBuckley.com.
About Jared Buckley: I help businesses understand Millennial behaviors, motivators, and mindsets, so they can manage, lead, and develop top-tier and second-tier Millennial talent into game-changers through soft skill/emotional intelligence training and coaching.
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