To survive in today’s constantly changing business landscape requires being comfortable in uncertainty. Adaptability is what allows organisms, people and businesses to solve problems, overcome challenges and move back from the edge of attrition to the more stable ground of relevance. Adaptability, is everything.
Adaptability refers to how easily you and your business can adjust to change. Adaptable people flourish amidst chaos while inflexible ones flounder; they find openings in situations where others only see closure. Without adapting to change, a leader’s effectiveness is both limited and limit-ing because inflexibility not only precludes one’s personal growth but also that of one’s followers.
In the SEAL Teams, adaptability was a way of life, a means to an (ideally successful) end. New information emerged, more threats became known, and what once appeared unlikely became unquestionably imminent.
To face the complexity of a changing environment both in business and on the battlefield, it takes more than just the marriage of speed and technology to move forward. Here are four ways to turn rigidity into adaptability:
Redefine your motivation. Adaptability begins with a willingness to adapt; a mindset that is open and ready to accept—and therefore overcome—uncertainty at anytime. You can do this by redefining what motivates you. For instance, if personal growth is a primary motivator then try to see adaptability through the lens of self-improvement; if relationships are a key driver for you, then think about how rich and meaningful your relations with others will be after you adapt. How you frame the problem through your mind’s eye is what determines your reaction, so if you redefine how you see the problem then you can set yourself up for success. Being ready and willing to adapt is half the battle.
Observe. Marshall Faulk, former running back for the St Louis Rams and pro football hall of fame inductee, immersed himself in the study of football. He was a student of the game through diligent observation. Faulk would watch film after film of upcoming opponents to etch into his mind the defensive players' body language. By studying the non-verbal cues of his competition, he built his recognition skills to the degree that he could anticipate players' next moves before they could. What Faulk did was minimize the gap between stimulus and response in his mind's eye which enabled him to act (i.e. anticipate) and therefore adapt sooner.
Develop COAs. Prior to any mission in the SEAL Teams, we conceptualized two to three responses that the enemy could possibly take once they discovered our presence, and then we divided them into the most and least likely courses of action (COAs). For instance, once the enemy realized we were knocking on their door and not going away, they could potentially:
- Give themselves up and exit the building
- Barricade themselves in and fight back
- Feign a surrender and exit with a plan to attack (i.e. suicide vest, anti-personnel mine, etc…)
We then generated a plan for each scenario above and ranked them from least to most likely. The purpose of this exercise was to always have an immediate “go-to” plan in the back of our minds ready to be called upon at any moment.
"It is a wise person that adapts themselves to all contingencies; it's the fool who always struggles like a swimmer against the current." - unknown
Set small goals. In Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training, there is a one week long stint of training known as Hell Week, which is five and half days of being cold, wet, tired and miserable while operating on only four hours of sleep the entire week. Participation is voluntary, which means students can quit at anytime but if they do then they will not become SEALs. If I had thought about Hell Week in its entirety from its inception on Sunday night, my willingness to endure—to adapt to each new day—would’ve probably gone out the window. Instead, I focused on small goals such as making it to the next meal. By breaking down a seemingly overwhelming task into smaller, more attainable objectives, it's easier to turn the unfathomable into something manageable.
To adapt to the unpredictable opportunities of the moment, people and businesses must embrace the mindset that change fosters improvement, and it begins with the mental preparation to adapt.
