1 Soft Skill You Absolutely Need For Career Longevity And 4 Ways To Build It
The only constant in life is change. Life is constantly changing and, even more so, business conditions are always changing. Because of this constant movement, one skill has become especially valuable – adaptability.
Adaptability is the ability to quickly learn new skills and behaviors when faced with unique conditions. An adaptable person can quickly respond to the changing demands of the workplace.
Adaptable people are better able to face new challenges. They look at a range of different solutions to solve problems. They see problems as obstacles and opportunities to advance toward their goals. They can work with people of all different backgrounds to complete assignments.
People who are adaptable are also better leaders. They maintain a positive attitude no matter the situation, keep their people focused on their goals, and keep people motivated. They are also open-minded, willing to look at various solutions to problems.
Being adaptable will keep you at the forefront of your profession throughout your career.
How to build adaptability
1. Gain knowledge from others
Pay attention to how other top performers respond to changing circumstances. What do they do to stay attuned to what is going on around them and learn the skills they need to meet new challenges?
Talk to these people and ask them directly what they do to navigate the changing conditions they confront.
2. Look for the positive
Having a positive attitude is key to being adaptable. People who stay positive or more likely to persevere, to be more resilient, and to try new things.
When something doesn’t go as planned, a person with a positive attitude uses the experience as a learning opportunity. They are able to step back and look at the problem from a different viewpoint, adjust their focus, and then push on.
3. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes
Everyone makes mistakes, but people who are not adaptable are unable to move past them. To develop adaptability, you need to look at mistakes as learning experiences, ways to adjust your attitude toward the world around you.
Learning from a mistake means figuring out why it occurred in the first place and what you can do to avoid it in the future. This is the essence of adaptability.
4. Ask questions
Being adaptable means having a willingness to change, to embrace growth. People who succeed don’t do it completely on their own. They have colleagues and mentors whom they learn from. Adaptable people ask questions, and they debate the answers to learn how to face their challenges.
Work with G.A. Rogers
At G.A. Rogers, we care about our job candidates, results, and relationships. We take the time to get to know each one of our candidates, enabling us to make better matches with employers. We treat our people with respect and establish long-term relationships. Give us a call today to see what we can do for you.
