2. Importance of Adaptability

Adaptability in the workplace means being able to change to succeed. Adaptability is a soft skill that employers look for when hiring candidates.

Employees in a leadership role must often handle unusual circumstances where there are no explicit instructions. They must learn to rely on their own judgement and have the confidence to make difficult decisions. You can further foster their adaptability skills by trying new things and challenging their ability to solve problems in a variety of circumstances.

As a soft skill, adaptability requires a range of other soft skills to be applied successfully. Thus, one must be able to learn quickly and put that learning into practice. In addition, the person must be able to remember what he or she has discovered, so that he or she can identify trends and make decisions accordingly.

Ability to learn: People with adaptability skills are never discouraged by failure. For them, failure is just part of learning. These leaders are always learning and willing to take risks, if it means they can develop personally and professionally. Skills to strengthen their adaptability include critical thinking, research, observation, among others.

Persistence: Every challenge is exciting and staying dedicated to your work means keeping going even when the going gets tough. Likewise, they can stay positive and encourage their team members to stay focused during difficult times. Skills that are emblematic of persistence include: resilience, positivity, stress tolerance and motivation.

Initiative: The “traditional” way of doing business may not be possible or effective, because there may not be enough funding or staff. This is where adaptability can be an advantage. An adaptable person will be able to obtain new resources and techniques that less adaptable colleagues have not considered. An adaptable person will demonstrate ingenuity by showing an ability to notice patterns, creativity, and innovation.

Curiosity: If you know how to adapt well to a wide variety of circumstances, then “different” does not scare you as it often does others. Anything that stands out makes you curious. And when you are curious, you will want to investigate. You are not afraid of ideas, suggestions, or constructive criticism. You tend to demonstrate open-mindedness, active listening, non-verbal communication, diversity, among other aspects that make curiosity stand out.