Is Adaptability the Secret Ingredient?

How agile are you?

There’s no denying that organisations are facing rapid technological advancements, evolving customer needs, and global pricing challenges. The organisations that are quickly adjusting and adapting to these changes look to be coming out on top.  

But, as an organisation, how can we measure whether the business, and our employees, are agile?  

A concept that’s been gaining attention recently is the Adaptability Quotient (AQ). This is a measure of how well individuals and organisations can pivot and thrive in disruptive environments. While traditional measures like IQ (intelligence) and EQ (emotional intelligence) are still important, AQ focuses on the ability to learn, unlearn, and remain resilient in the face of change. 

The Adaptability Quotient (AQ) Explained 

The Adaptability Quotient (AQ) is a framework that measures how well an individual can adjust to new environments, manage stress, and learn amidst disruption. It encompasses three core aspects: 

  • Ability: High-AQ individuals display the mindset and mental flexibility to unlearn outdated methods and quickly adopt new ways of working. 
  • Character: Character traits, such as emotional range, thinking style, and motivational style, can evolve through learning, experiences and shifting contexts. High-AQ individuals are generally open to navigating change. 
  • Environment: This area explores when, and to what degree, a person adapts considering the importance of context. Supportive environments can boost adaptability whilst in unsupportive environments, the opposite is true. 

The team behind the Adaptability Quotient (AQ) believe that the higher a person’s AQ, the more likely they will be able to recover from setbacks, find alternative solutions to problems and embrace change. 

How to Cultivate Adaptability 

How can organisations support their employees to embrace adaptability? Firstly, and most importantly, we advise our clients that it is critical to create a culture where employees feel safe and reassured. If they feel comfortable experimenting with new approaches, learning from mistakes and voicing their opinions, they are more likely to be open to adapting where required. Of course, organisations can also offer the traditional training and development programmes to encourage learning and upskilling, and to make employees more aware of measurements like the Adaptability Quotient.  

On balance, adaptability could well be the secret ingredient to organisational success. As industries continue to evolve, it is highly likely that we will see those employees and organisations that embrace adaptability not only surviving, but thriving. 

How set in your ways do you feel you are? How ‘unsafe’ does it feel to step outside of conventional approaches? How might you benefit from performance coaching to feel more at ease in a changing environment? Contact us today – you’re In Cool Company

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