FLEXIBLE
WHY IT MATTERS
With the speed at which conditions change in today’s world it is imperative a leader can wisely and quickly adjust course. The ability to be flexible and make necessary change, or be comfortable operating in unpredictable settings, is a leadership necessity. Leaders that are flexible save people and organizations from disastrous situations caused by the challenge of hitting a “moving target.” They are able to alter course, modify direction, revise existing plans and strategies and invent new approaches when problems arise. Leaders who can’t be flexible are a liability to their organization as they become an anchor that keeps their organizational ship from freely flowing across the changing currents of their customers, industry, and competition.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that are flexible ebb and flow with the inevitable unpredictability inherent in the modern world of work. Their flexibility is what provides stability. They awake every day expecting to encounter the unexpected. Rather than being a static victim to the fluctuating world around them, they choose to proactively mold situations in their favor through an adaptable approach.
Leaders that demonstrate flexibility anticipate possible changes or shifts in their work or organizational landscape. They believe in setting themselves up to be successful by anticipating where their flexibility might be required. They form contingency plans, foresee bumps in the road, and prepare themselves and those around them to be ready to react to anything at any time.
Leaders that are flexible can invest everything into their work without becoming so emotionally invested in it they can’t let go. They know things can always change, so they don’t take it personally when things do change. Their ability to emotionally separate themselves from their work and personal contribution enhances their ability to make adjustments on the fly.
Leaders that are flexible can be put in very difficult or challenging situations and not be thrown off balance. Instead of becoming debilitated by commotion or uncertainty, they maintain the ability to think clearly and act decisively. They keep their emotions in check when things get stressful. They stay above the fray when others may be consumed by it.
Leaders that are flexible can do work a certain way for long periods of time and then quickly abandon their patterns when shown a better way. They readily let go of longstanding practices and procedures in order to learn new ways to advance and progress the work. All they want is results.
Leaders that are flexible are good at making decisions with the data they have. Even more, they are able to act in the best way when they are presented with new or unanticipated data that changes the situation. They quickly absorb new information and can determine how to alter their plans accordingly. They move the work forward while others might still be pining over what to do because of unanticipated interruptions to their preconceived plans.
BELIEFS
BEST PRACTICES
SELF-REFLECTION
WORDS OF CAUTION
With the speed at which conditions change in today’s world it is imperative a leader can wisely and quickly adjust course. The ability to be flexible and make necessary change, or be comfortable operating in unpredictable settings, is a leadership necessity. Leaders that are flexible save people and organizations from disastrous situations caused by the challenge of hitting a “moving target.” They are able to alter course, modify direction, revise existing plans and strategies and invent new approaches when problems arise. Leaders who can’t be flexible are a liability to their organization as they become an anchor that keeps their organizational ship from freely flowing across the changing currents of their customers, industry, and competition.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
Leaders that are flexible ebb and flow with the inevitable unpredictability inherent in the modern world of work. Their flexibility is what provides stability. They awake every day expecting to encounter the unexpected. Rather than being a static victim to the fluctuating world around them, they choose to proactively mold situations in their favor through an adaptable approach.
Leaders that demonstrate flexibility anticipate possible changes or shifts in their work or organizational landscape. They believe in setting themselves up to be successful by anticipating where their flexibility might be required. They form contingency plans, foresee bumps in the road, and prepare themselves and those around them to be ready to react to anything at any time.
Leaders that are flexible can invest everything into their work without becoming so emotionally invested in it they can’t let go. They know things can always change, so they don’t take it personally when things do change. Their ability to emotionally separate themselves from their work and personal contribution enhances their ability to make adjustments on the fly.
Leaders that are flexible can be put in very difficult or challenging situations and not be thrown off balance. Instead of becoming debilitated by commotion or uncertainty, they maintain the ability to think clearly and act decisively. They keep their emotions in check when things get stressful. They stay above the fray when others may be consumed by it.
Leaders that are flexible can do work a certain way for long periods of time and then quickly abandon their patterns when shown a better way. They readily let go of longstanding practices and procedures in order to learn new ways to advance and progress the work. All they want is results.
Leaders that are flexible are good at making decisions with the data they have. Even more, they are able to act in the best way when they are presented with new or unanticipated data that changes the situation. They quickly absorb new information and can determine how to alter their plans accordingly. They move the work forward while others might still be pining over what to do because of unanticipated interruptions to their preconceived plans.
BELIEFS
- The only thing you can expect from the unexpected is that it will come at any time, from anywhere, and in any way.
- The tighter you cling to your work the harder it will be to let it go when things inevitably change.
- New and different doesn’t mean bad. It is dangerous to resist something just because it is new and different.
- Dealing with change is already hard enough. The last thing leaders need is people who can’t be flexible and change with them.
- Flexibility is reality. Without the ability to go with the flow it is likely you will be swept away by the current of change.
- The key to providing stability as a leader is not being irrevocably fixed, but being gracefully adaptable.
- One of the great keys to remaining flexible as a leader is to recognize that there are many possible pathways to success.
- Flexibility and instability are not the same thing. Be flexible, but don’t be the instigator of reckless instability.
BEST PRACTICES
- Learn new ways of doing things.
- Change decisions when you are wrong.
- Don’t be afraid to change how things are done.
- Modify your own long-standing beliefs.
- Shift gears in the middle of projects.
- Adapt quickly to new circumstances.
- Don’t be thrown off by the unexpected.
- Don’t be paralyzed by failure.
- Don’t overreact to the good or the bad.
- Be willing to do things differently.
- Be comfortable with the unknown.
- Be willing to work in a dynamic setting.
- Change long standing ways of doing work.
- Don’t take change personally.
- Go with the natural flow of things.
- Be comfortable figuring things out as you go.
- Maintain composure in new situations.
- Change assumptions when proven wrong.
- Adapt quickly to new conditions.
- Be ok with times of unrest.
- Show openness to new ways of thinking.
- Be willing to try things just to see if they work.
SELF-REFLECTION
- Do I have the ability to calmly ebb and flow with change, or do I let change rattle me and knock me off course?
- Do I expect the unexpected every day, or do I believe things should always remain as they are right now?
- Do I change how I do things when needed, or do I emotionally invest so much in my work I can’t be flexible?
- Do I maintain my ability to think and act clearly, or do I allow surprising situations to throw me off balance?
- Do I anticipate where flexibility might be required and prepare for it, or do I miss things I should have caught?
- Do I create contingency and backup plans for when things go wrong, or am I ill equipped to handle the unexpected?
- Do I take action even if I don’t have all the information I need, or do I become paralyzed and unable to move forward?
- Do I let go of long-standing patterns for doing things, or do I hold onto them so tightly that I impede progress?
WORDS OF CAUTION
- Don’t assume that just because you can easily adjust and make changes in the spur of the moment others can too.
- Don’t be so flexible that you fail to hold the line for the organization when you need to, and allow unnecessary havoc.
- Don’t be seen as a someone who doesn’t know what they believe in because you allow so much flexibility and change.
- Change is motivating rather than intimidating.
- When problems arise at work, I don’t get flustered.
- People look to me for guidance when work gets stressful.
- It’s okay to figure things out as you go.
- I’m calm in stressful situations.
- Curve balls make work life more enjoyable.