As a leader, being acutely skilled in adaptability is going to be one of the most valuable keys to your success for the long term because the need to be adaptable is here to stay! Our world economy has become global whether we like it or not.
Giving employees and members of your organization the tools they need to become adaptable, while teaching them how to keep the company's vision and visions for their own personal lives entwined together will be what makes your organization stand apart from the rest.
There will also be the big question how do you define success in this exciting new world of agility and adaptation? We know that we will always need to have goals and indicators of success. We will focus more on defining measurements of success and how you entwine the company's vision and your personal vision in next month's blog.
Remaining focused on ADAPTABILITY this month; it is critical in our new exciting working world, that you equip your leadership team with the proper tools for adapting while making sure your organization’s vision is clear. Because in challenging times it is the vision that will push your organization forward and making them want to be adaptable. Relying on the tools that you provide them to help them be adaptable in trying times. Tools so they don’t panic and can stay focused. They take a '110 Philosophy Moment' (mine is at 1:10 PM) to STOP, reflect, understand and be present. If you incorporate this way of thinking every day, that’s what will make the difference. It’s your leaders’ vision, their own life, and career’s vision, entwined with the corporate vision with a variety of adaptability tools that are well sharpened, that will make that leader stand strong and be loyal to the company‘s vision.
So to all Leaders Across the globe, that is your challenge! Ask yourself, how do you foster adaptability? What example are you setting? What training and tools have you implemented?
Here’s an example of how the team at 110 Philosophy had to adapt most recently. Normally, as part of our structure WE (the team) post to OUR blog on the 10th of every month. But this month life threw a curveball…
My 4th foot surgery made it just about impossible to make our deadline happen. I could have stressed about it, rushed, and put together something I wasn’t totally proud of - just to make the deadline, OR I could apply Situation Analysis Problem-Solving (page 23 & 22). I knew that I couldn’t control what was going on, so I took the “problem”, turned it into a challenge, turning it into an opportunity, and WE ADAPTED with the help of our marketing partner, Bustle & Grow. We decided we would publish 10 days before my birthday and that would be fun for me to countdown. As you might have read in my book I use my birthday as a natural self and life-reflection indicator. So, it was perfect timing… and how ironic this year my birthday marks 110 days before this year‘s Tri For A Cure? Now my countdown for the Tri For A Cure will begin on March 30. See how that turned into a wonderful opportunity? There’s power in counting down (hence another reason I started my book on page 110 and it counts down to the last page being page 1) so I will countdown from the time my blog is posted to my birthday because it’s such a wonderful day for me. It doesn’t matter if anybody remembers because I control my destiny for my birthday. I always make sure I purchase a fun gift or two for myself. Then if everybody does forget at the end of the day, I never forgot how special my birthday was to me. I control my own happiness and joy! And it’ll be time to count down 110 days before the Tri For A Cure! And this 4th foot surgery will clearly be behind me by then! I’m sharing this with you as an example about building the adaptability mindset into your organization. It starts with you. You can bring it from the highest level to your most important mailroom and/or administrative support team. Keeping in mind every person on your team is critical to the long-term mission of your organization!
There are several components to achieving successful organizational adaptability, but at the end of the day, it’s pretty a simple mathematical equation: vision + engagement + discipline and structure = success. Sure, there will be companies that fail and there will be companies that succeed, as with all things. But, I truly believe that the successful companies of our future are those that can teach their organizations how to adapt, and bring out the very best in others and themselves!
About Maine Cancer Tri for a Cure:
Each year, over 1,300 women gather in South Portland to swim, bike & run in Maine Cancer Foundation’s Tri for a Cure - Maine's only all-women's triathlon. Thanks to the efforts of thousands of supporters, the Tri for a Cure has raised more than $16 million for Maine Cancer Foundation, every dollar of which has been reinvested into Maine communities for cancer prevention, early detection, and access to care. Cancer tries, but we TRI harder! Learn more here.