Survival of a species is not determined by strength or intelligence. Survival is determined by adaptability. (Concept by Charles Darwin)
We live in interesting times. The pandemic may be fading into the past, but we are still experiencing its learning, behavior, and emotional aftereffects. Artificial intelligence may offer dramatic new opportunities, but it can feel disruptive, unpredictable, and difficult to grasp. Meanwhile, expectations of schools and educators seem to be changing, and there is no clear roadmap to guide us. The list could go on, but the question of how to respond, manage, and thrive in this environment has no single, simple answer.
In response to the uncertainty and disruption in which we find ourselves, researchers and experts say that the number one skill for survival and success in today’s environment is adaptability. Simply stated, adaptability is the readiness and willingness to change behavior or strategy in response to changing environment. Adaptability helps us to be thoughtful, curious, and skilled at navigating change. It helps us to be versatile, stay resilient, and manage stress and prepares us to embrace change rather than fear or fight it.
We might think of adaptability in three forms. Cognitive adaptability concerns how we think about what is happening to and around us. Do we keep an open mind and embrace change rather than fear it? Social adaptability deals with our relationships to others. How well do we manage relationships with those who may think about and see the world differently? And behavioral adaptability relates to our acquiring new skills and adopting new approaches required to manage and succeed in new and changing conditions. How willing are we to let go of what no longer works and embrace what is needed going forward?
Regardless of the specific challenges we face, adaptability requires us to venture out beyond our comfort zone where we are comfortable and confident. Significant learning and growth rarely occur unless we engage with what we find unfamiliar, challenging, and uncomfortable. We might think of the space just beyond our comfort zone as our learning zone, and while we may be uncomfortable in our learning zone, enough is still familiar to provide some context and allow us to make learning connections. So, what are the habits and skills that contribute to success in our learning zone? Here are six adaptability frames we can develop and use.
Be ready to take risks. Navigating the unfamiliar means that we must be ready to try strategies and approaches that are new to us and may lead to some missteps and setbacks. By accepting the probability of mistakes, we can reduce our anxiety and use our experiences to learn and move forward.
Stay goal focused. Gaining clarity about what we want to achieve can free us to choose the best path. Goals help us to mark progress and allow us to celebrate it. In times of confusion, clear goals can keep us focused and on track. When what we try does not work, goals may suggest what will work.
Be flexible. New perspectives, insights, and evidence may point us in a new direction or offer a different path. We need to be ready to shift with experience, learning, and changing conditions.
Remain open-minded. In circumstances that call for adaptability, we rarely have all the answers, nor can we always anticipate what will be required of us. We must remain open to unexpected, underdefined, and emerging implications. Learning and insight can come from a variety of sources; for example, we might watch how others are responding and adopt and adapt what they have found to work.
Stay curious. We need to watch, listen, and sense what is happening around us. We can ask questions to clarify what seems confusing and stay attuned to nonverbal cues. The better we listen, the more we can learn. The combination of listening and seeing can reveal nuance and subtleties that otherwise might be missed.
Trust yourself. Venturing beyond our comfort zone takes courage. We don’t always know what to expect. However, we have faced challenges before, and we have overcome mistakes and setbacks in the past. Now is a time to believe in ourselves and our potential. Courage is not the absence of fear. Rather, it is a willingness to move forward despite it.
These are uncertain and challenging times. However, they are also opportunity-filled. The risks we take, the learning we gain, and the progress we make now can serve us far into the future.
