Understanding Adaptability Quotient: Part 3

If you’ve read my last two blogs and your interest is piqued, I hope you’ll find this final one on the topic of Adaptability Quotient (AQ) as interesting as I did researching it. AQ blog #1, Navigating the Fastest Period of Change in History, introduced the AQ concept, acknowledged the current period that is calling on us to adapt relentlessly, and explored the first key element of human’s capacity to do so: Ability. Then, in AQ blog #2, The Human Side of Adaptability, I highlighted the second – very human – key element of Character.

This time, I will wrap things up in the AQ space (for now), sharing what I have learned about the third and final element of Adaptability Quotient: Environment.

The Stuff on the Outside

“Environment” – in terms of Adaptability Quotient – is all about figuring out when and how much you adapt based on what’s happening around you. This part looks at things like:

• How (or, if) your company has your back
• Your perception of being able to thrive in a changing environment
• Support from your team
• What your workplace feels like
• How stressed you are at work

All of these pieces work together to affect how well you handle change and different situations at work. When you’ve got a “good” environment, it can really boost your ability to adapt, keep your head in a good place, and stay positive about changes. But when your environment isn’t supportive, it can hold you back from growing and moving forward.

Let’s Dive Deeper

While all of the factors listed above play into the external environment that affects our adaptability, I was keenly interested in understanding more about “what your workplace feels like” and, you guessed it, work stress – ugh, is there even a world where it doesn’t exist?

Okay, first, let’s talk about what it feels like to be at work. What does that really mean? According to the AQ, it considers if your company’s systems and processes are helping you roll with the punches or tripping you up. This piece of the puzzle looks at whether your workplace is cool with shaking things up and trying new things, or if they’re more comfortable sticking with what they’ve always done.

• Does your company reward people who take smart risks, or do they slap your wrist when things don’t work out?
• Do you have the space and forums to experiment, or are you stuck in procedure-land?
• Do people celebrate when someone tries something new?

In a workplace that’s adaptability-friendly, failures aren’t career-enders – they’re more like “well, that was educational!” moments that everyone can learn from. These places talk about what went wrong and might even throw a little party for the effort.

The difference is pretty simple: closed, by-the-book environments put your adaptability skills in a straightjacket, while open, “let’s try it and see” environments help everyone grow.

Next, I looked deeper into work stress. Earlier I joked about there not being a workplace without stress, but realistically, there isn’t. And that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. A life without stress would likely lead to accomplishing absolutely nothing. But in the realm of Adaptability Quotient, it’s the sense of task overwhelm. Oop! There it is – the tightening of my stomach and shortening of my breath – my reaction to the feeling of being overwhelmed with the number of things on my to-do list. Did you feel it too? If you don’t know the feeling intimately like I do, it feels like your inbox is reproducing faster than rabbits and your calendar looks like a game of Tetris gone wrong.

This part of AQ measures how overwhelmed you feel by all the stuff on your plate. And getting this right is super important for staying adaptable. Too much stress and you’re running around, unable to think beyond “AAAAH!” And with too little stress, you might be scrolling through cat videos all day with zero motivation to change anything.

What you’re really shooting for is that sweet spot of “healthy stress” (fancy folks call it “eustress”) – just enough pressure to keep you on your toes without making you want to hide under your desk. This goldilocks zone is where growth and adaptation happen.

Attention Leaders: Getting a handle on work stress is absolutely essential if you want a team that can adapt instead of just surviving until the weekend!

Want to Learn More?

If you’re intrigued by how these and all of the dimensions of Adaptability might be showing up in your professional life, I’m excited to share that I’m newly certified to work with both individuals and organizations on AQ assessments. I’d love to talk about how this knowledge can unlock what might be hiding in plain sight for you.