How Adaptability Can Make or Break Your Career in the Coming Years

When ChatGPT was unleashed in November 2022, it captured the world’s interest. Since then, further developments have only increased the AI tool’s capabilities. As fascinating as the technology is, ChatGPT and other AI bots have made many people nervous, especially regarding what it means for jobs in the future. AI could put many jobs at risk—we’re not talking about entry-level jobs, either. Some jobs, such as advertising, paralegal work, journalism, market research, and computer programming, may be handled by AI in the near future. 

These fears aren’t without merit. One report from Goldman Sachs indicated that 300 million jobs could be at risk thanks to AI advancements. Feeling nervous about these developments is only natural. However, there is a skill you can hone and develop that will help you prepare for the uncertain times ahead and ease your worries.

It all comes down to adaptability. Whether it’s adaptability in your personal life or adaptability in the workplace, gaining adaptability skills will give you the chance to be competitive, forge stronger relationships, and create the best chances for you to succeed now and well into the future.

In this article, learn what it means to have adaptability skills and how to improve them for long-term success.

What Is Adaptability?

Adaptability is a set of soft skills that help people adjust to ever-changing situations and circumstances. These adaptability skills indicate your level of flexibility as you respond to changes. Adaptability skills not only deal with how you handle your changing environment, but they also affect how you react to people around you, particularly your team members. Someone with high emotional maturity and excellent adaptability can meet the challenges that come with these changes smoothly, taking things in stride. Adaptability is not something that is easily taught, but it is a skill set you can develop and improve over time.

Why Adaptability in the Workplace Is Important

While adaptability is a useful trait in all aspects of life, adaptability in the workplace can be especially helpful, particularly during times of economic change, technological advancements, and general professional challenges. Workplace adaptability is one of those skills that shows versatility with any complex task you may receive. Rarely do things go completely according to plan in the business world, and employers want to know their employees can pivot when necessary without fuss.

What Employers Want

Indeed, more and more businesses are looking to hire people who show adaptability skills in the workplace. According to Yolanda Lau, the co-founder and chief talent officer at FlexTeam, hiring people who can adapt and show resilience has become crucial. “You need open-minded people who can shift gears and take on different responsibilities as needed, adapt their behaviors to their teammates’ needs, manage uncertainty, and find the positive when things go wrong,” Lau writes. “Agility and flexibility—which go hand in hand with adaptability—allow workers to bring and implement fresh ideas.” Employers want to ensure the people they hire can handle stressful situations that produce strong outcomes.

The Makings of a Leader

Adaptability in the workplace can also serve as a clear indication of leadership potential. Jill Chapman, a senior performance consultant for Insperity, says adaptability skills are a must for those looking to advance their careers. “When people are adaptable, they seize the opportunity to embrace challenges and enjoy discovering new solutions,” Chapman says. “Adaptability can also strengthen leadership skills since positivity in the face of adversity can keep teams focused and motivated through tough times. Additionally, it brings a sense of relevancy as the workforce continues to change faster than ever. Individuals must be willing to adapt or be left behind.” It’s clear adaptability is a necessary element when practicing situational leadership.

5 Signs You Have Adaptability Skills

Adaptability doesn’t always come naturally, but it may be a part of who you are already. By looking at who you are right now, you can determine how much you need to work on improving your adaptability skills. 

Here are some of the signs that indicate you can adapt more easily than others:

• You’re generally an open-minded person, and you love to brainstorm new ideas.
• You love to solve problems and puzzles.
• Positive self-talk is a genuine part of who you are.
• You prefer to stay in the present and look forward to the future instead of worrying about past failures.
• You try with all your energy to understand other people’s points of view.

Examples of Adaptability Skills

1. Curiosity

Being curious represents having an open mind about taking advantage of new opportunities. It’s not just that you know how to learn something new—it’s that you are eager to learn new skills and knowledge. Without curiosity, you’re at risk of staying stuck in a rut. If you find it difficult to be curious, determine what may be the cause. According to behavioral expert Dr. Diane Hamilton, improving your curiosity involves identifying what may hinder it. “Fear, assumptions (the voice in your head), technology, and environment all have an impact,” Dr. Hamilton writes. “Once we recognize that, we can create an action plan to overcome those issues.”

2. Resourcefulness

When you’re resourceful, you also like to engage in problem-solving—only you prefer to find innovative and creative solutions. A resourceful mind is one that can take on any challenges with the tools available. John Baldoni, an executive coach and author, advises that resourcefulness is closely tied to self-belief. Resourcefulness “is not simply a matter of doing more with less,” Baldoni writes. “Rather, what’s important is the realization that you can do more with less because you and your colleagues are more capable than you first believed.” Baldoni says being resourceful is about optimizing everything you have and improving on the old way of doing things.

3. Openness to Feedback

When you’re open to receiving feedback, you show a willingness to improve. Doing so can encourage others to want feedback as well. However, sometimes feedback isn’t so easily forthcoming. That’s when you need to take the initiative. “If you’re not getting the feedback you believe you need in order to grow, you can be proactive about normalizing feedback in the workplace by asking a colleague for feedback—but make it specific,” VP of Content for Consciously Unbiased Holly Corbett writes. This means, the more you ask for it, the more people will be willing to give it.

4. Effective Communication

Communication is about connection. If you have the right communication skills, you can connect with other people. This helps you adapt to changes and overcome challenges. Some communication skills can include active listening, interpersonal skills, and empathy. When you communicate well, you can respond quickly to issues before they become too big. Indeed, problems often arise when there’s little to no communication at all. One survey found that 86 percent of executives cite poor communication as a significant factor in business failures.

5. Growth Mindset

People with a growth mindset don’t believe they are stuck as they are. Instead, they have confidence that they can learn new abilities and adapt as new challenges arise. Even when they make mistakes, they see them as growth opportunities rather than failures. Isabella Venour, a mindset coach, says that while adopting a growth mindset can be intimidating, the rewards that come with it are great. “It feels a little bit uncomfortable, and also a little bit exciting,” Venour says. “You’ve got a bit of risk that it might go wrong, but you’ve also got the potential to learn something and to grow as an individual.”

Improving Your Adaptability Skills for Long-Term Success

When you improve your adaptability skills, you become better at decision-making and reacting to the changes around you. One way to help you become more adaptable is to work on your self-awareness. In this way, you can identify areas where you need improvement as you respond to change. Here are some quick tips for improving self-awareness.

• Practice meditation and journaling.
• Gain perspective by asking others about what you can improve.
• Write down what you can learn from recent mistakes you’ve made.
• Show gratitude for what you have by keeping a gratitude journal.

You can also make strides in improving your emotional intelligence. Read the following article to learn more about how to raise your emotional intelligence, which will improve your adaptability.

Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace: What You Should Know