Adaptability – a highly sought after soft skill that is valued and important in the workplace.
Being adaptable, shows you are open and able to take on challenges as they arise.
What a year this has been so far and honestly, I can’t wait until it is just a memory. In just a short period of time, we have experienced a country wide shutdown, massive layoffs and many businesses forced to have their workforce go remote, putting many of us in a situation that required us to quickly adapt, not by choice but because we had to. Overtime, this experience taught us how to be open, flexible and accept what stood before us. We adapted!
For those who remained employed, I am hopeful they willingly embraced this change and are being successful. By being successful in this type of situation will prove not only to yourself but to others that you are motivated to tackle any moving part that confronts you. This action speaks volumes today and will tomorrow because as we recover from this awful event, I am certain leaders will be looking for those who have prevailed.
Being able to adapt can be all about an approach and attitude to change. Another way to think about this is to consider it simply as stepping outside of your comfort zone. Taking on a new role, learning a new skill or helping a team member with a task, can all be very rewarding. Again, adapting has it benefits.
What will this event have taught us? To be adaptable, a soft skill that leaders and corporations value in the workplace. From what I am hearing, once Covid-19 becomes an event of the past, leaders more so than before, will be looking for those who successfully navigated through these challenging times, seeking out those who embraced learning new skills and behaviors. Leaders will want to hear how candidates demonstrated their adaptability in their role and how they effectively responded. For those who responded well, this will establish the fact that they are able to work well on their own and with the team. As for leaders, it indicates the ability to solve problems and to trust their judgement when faced with difficult decisions recognizing what may have worked in the past is not necessarily the right answer now.
How adaptable have you been during these times? If you have been open to change and embraced it, hats off to you! If not, seize the opportunity that is in front of you and become that valuable player every team desires. To help, may I suggest envisioning yourself succeeding in your new role and watch the benefits unfold. Work hard, go for it and prove to yourself you can do it! As you adapt, be confident. Ask your leader to set goals for you and you too set your own goals so you can see yourself improve. See each challenge to improve and learn. As you adapt and learn, you will become a utility player to which many companies and hiring managers want, not to mention you too will benefit from everything that you learned during your journey. I am wishing everyone well during this time and hope the best is yet to come.
Adapting has its benefits:
- Demonstrates the ability to go with the flow
- Earns respect of the team by inspiring others, showing you embraced the change
- Helps with the challenge of change, allowing yourself to accommodate the circumstances
- It helps adjust your attitude and expectations
- In the new world if you adapted, you will win over employers who will be increasingly wanting professionals who can adapt to an ever-changing workplace
- It will be easier when changes in your career occur
- Overall, you will be a much more valuable employee and team player
May I suggest ways to become more adaptable at work….
- First and foremost – GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE AND EMBRACE CHANGE
- Be positive
- Learn from those who are masters at the skills you are trying to gain
- Listen and ask questions. If at first you don’t succeed, try it again and don’t give up until you get it
Again, wishing everyone well and as always I am open to hearing from others!
Best of luck to all!
Sheila Greco
