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.

AtoZ Blogging Challenge - A for Adaptability

 

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.

 

23 thoughts on “AtoZ Blogging Challenge – A for Adaptability”

  1. I haven’t worked in the corporate jungle. But through experience of others and my own experience as a freelancer, I think adaptability is a trait that is a must for anyone.

    1. Well most of what is applicable in corporate life is applicable in the your personal life as well. The basic character building is the same!

  2. Excellent beginning for the A-Z Challenge. Yes. adaptability is so important, not only in the corporate world, but in life, generally. The silver lining aspect will get us through the rough times.

    1. Hey Debbie. Thanks for stopping by 🙂 I agree that these things keep you going in real life as well… as for the rough times, the smallest hope is all one needs…

    1. If you can adapt, you are allowed to by whiny for a while… perhaps that is your way of getting it out of your system!

    1. It sure is… not just in the professional world but personal too. Thanks for visiting Inderpreet 🙂

    1. Thank you Maniparna 🙂 I agree that there is no teacher like life itself… as for adaptability, the sooner you learn, the better it is!

  3. Gosh..been teaching for ages now and def agree about adapting to the changing needs of our kids

  4. It’s so important to be able to adapt to different work situations and colleagues as well. I notice when people stay in a job for a long time, they become less adaptable and way more rigid. Great thoughts there which I could use too when I get bogged down a bit too much. 🙂

    1. I agree… the longer you spend in the same place, the more you get comfortable! I hope you don’t ever get bogged down… but if you do, you know where to come 🙂

  5. Adapt… I guess it is something we do unconsciously most of the time…
    And when we don’t, the consequences speak for themselves…
    Happy to have discovered your blog, Ankita 🙂

    1. Welcome to the blog Nimi 🙂

      I agree that we subconciously adapt. Like taking an alternate route when there is a traffic jam. In the corporate world however, there are people who resist change. They may get away with it for a while but it hurts later… 🙂 a lot of what will be covered in this series will be from my own experiences and things I wish I knew in the early days of my career!

Hope you enjoyed reading this post. Let me know your thoughts :)