08/30/2024

Why Adaptability is the Real Key to Successful Leadership

This skill is paramount to true leadership success

In today's digital age, we've encountered all the buzzwords about what it takes to become an exceptional leader—tenacity, determination, authenticity—the list goes on. We all know and swear by psychologist Angela Duckworth's iconic book, aptly named Grit.

But I want to articulate a subtle nuance about the word most often used to describe exceptional leaders: resilient. Resilience is important. It's the trait that lets you survive like a cockroach, navigating through the toughest of times, and emerging intact on the other side. However, during tumultuous periods or rapidly evolving markets—such as today’s AI-driven landscape—resilience alone isn’t sufficient. The trait that surpasses resilience is adaptability.

Adaptability is paramount to true leadership success. It means not just surviving but transforming—starting as a butterfly and emerging as a dragon. Charles Darwin captured this idea perfectly when he said, "It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change." While resilience helps you weather the storm, it is adaptability that empowers you to harness its energy and steer towards unprecedented growth. It's about thriving amidst chaos and evolving into your most formidable self. Let's discuss some examples of resilience in action.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Fast Company.