The capacity to modify one’s behavior and responses to dynamic situations is crucial for success.
Workforce resilience is when employees can adapt to adverse situations, manage stress & retain motivation. Adaptability is the capacity to modify one’s behavior and responses to changed or dynamic situations. Leaders that can adapt to change are motivated, not easily discouraged & are usually more creative than the average employee.
With greater diversity in the workforce, we need willingness to adapt our own behaviors to foster the inclusion of those with different backgrounds and perspectives to create a new dynamic that benefits the organization. To make DEI an integral part of an organization’s culture, it is often necessary to rethink how we collaborate and solve problems in addition to the tools needed to make everyone’s contributions count. Adaptability may be required in other instances when there are changes to a company’s structure, business needs, work processes & protocols without hyper-focusing on the “way we’ve always done things.”
Resistance to change is the reluctance of adapting to change when it is presented. While resistance is inevitable, it’s not insurmountable. Most common reasons why people are resistant to change include:
Mistrust & lack of confidence in change-makers.
Emotional responses: many people will have emotional reactions to anything that upsets their routine.
Fear of failure: people will not support a change if they’re not confident in their own abilities to adapt to it.
Poor communication: when you talk AT people as opposed to WITH people, you’re bound to get resistance to change.
Unrealistic timelines: find a balance between creating a sense of urgency and allowing time to transition.
Adaptability requires a number of other soft skills in order to be applied successfully:
Ability to learn: People with adaptability skills are never discouraged by failure which is a part of learning.
Persistence: They’re able to stay positive & encourage others to stay focused during difficult times.
Resourcefulness: They’re able to source new resources and techniques that less-adaptable colleagues haven’t considered.
Curiosity: Anything that stands out makes them curious, hence they investigate, aren’t afraid of ideas, suggestions, or constructive criticism.
