AtoZ Blogging Challenge – A for Adaptability

All through April, I will be posting on A2Z of Professional Life, Monday through Saturday. Do join me in this journey!

Adaptability or the ability to adapt is a plus in any given situation. In the professional world though, it is THE mantra to survive and thrive. How often have we heard the words “Adapt or Perish” ? Trust me, that is not an exaggeration. Perish in the corporate world does not mean literally perish, it means career setbacks. It means no growth. Whatever be your chosen career, change is inevitable. It could be a small change like a new tool being made mandatory a big change like getting a new manager or a huge change like a takeover. Whatever be the scenario, it takes an attitude of adaptability to deal with it. It takes a lot of agility in reaping benefit from change. More so if you work in a dynamic and fast growing environment. You can expect frequent situations demanding you to adapt quickly. If there is one thing I have learnt in a career, it is that the sooner you adapt, the lesser stress you cause yourself.

Adaptability does not come easy to us. Many of us have a tendency to resist change. The good part though is that adaptability can be cultivated. A few things that worked for me are:

1. Accept it. Accept the change coming your way. Decide quickly if it makes sense to resist it. If it is futile, make your peace with it and move on
2. Try to find a silver lining. No matter how bad the situation, it will always have something good. An impossible project that will teach you new things or give you an intellectual kick. It may be small, tiny even. Find it and hold on to it.
3. Don’t try to read too much between the lines. Am not saying take things at absolute face value. Just don’t over analyse and create issues they don’t exist.
4. Keep a Positive frame of mind. Negativity grows of you. It feeds on your fear and insecurities and of those around you. Talking to someone who tends to see things straight helps as against someone who always assumes the worst.