Adapting to Change with Personal Agility

Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher, once said, “The only thing that is constant is change.” 

In today’s fast-paced, modern, ever-changing business world, the ability to catch up and adapt to the fast paced change is of vital importance for any individual, team and organisation to be able to compete and excel in the industry that it is in.

That ability is what we call, PERSONAL AGILITY. Personal Agility the ability to anticipate and respond rapidly to changing conditions; acknowledging we live in an era of global permanent change, agility means taking a proactive approach to change, anticipating challenges and opportunities, a willingness to rethink past assumptions, and readily, willingly, rapidly and effectively adapting to change.

People with this competency are able to manage changing situations and transitions with ease, examine situations from many perspectives, anticipate the need for change before it is imposed, strategically and proactively embrace change. They are also willing to rethink their assumptions and learn from experience.They are adaptable, flexible and respond rapidly in the face of change and are able adjust their approach to meet the demands of ever-changing situations.

On the other hand, people who are lacking in this competency lack the perspective to deal with changing realities. They try to deny, ignore, and/or resist change as it occurs around them. They are unwilling to explore or be open to the new possibilities that change may bring and blame others for changing circumstances.

So how about you? Which among these two kinds of people are you? Are you the kind of person who easily embraces change? Or are you the kind of person who has difficulty anticipating and adapting to change?



If you think that you need to grow in the area of Personal Agility, here are some tips to help you develop this competency:

Become self-aware.

When something unexpected happens, or when things do not go as planned, staying calm and having a clear mind is of utmost importance to make the right decision and be able to adapt with the situation. Being aware and being in control of your emotions will enable you to have a better grip of the situation and will enable plan out the best course of action.

So never let yourself succumb to the pressure of what changing situations bring you.

Recognize what is fiction and what is fact.

Allow yourself to differentiate what you want to happen from what will or could happen or what is happening. Be realistic in your views. Acknowledge that there will be times that things will not go as planned.

Welcome multiple viewpoints and ideas.

Acknowledge that you don’t have the answers to everything. Acknowledge that the world is evolving so what may work before, may not work now. Listening and being open to other people’s viewpoints and ideas will open up a new world of learnings to you that will help you adapt to this fast-paced, ever changing world.

Be willing to seek help.
You are not alone. Accept the fact that you need someone else to help you go through difficult situations, especially those that are new to you. There are people who may have already experienced what you’re experiencing at the moment so don’t be afraid to open-up and ask for help. If you are really having a hard time adapting to change, seeking the help of a professional coach can greatly help you in this area.

Charles Darwin said it best:
“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but those most responsive to change.”

At People Builders we have a team of expert trainers and coaches who can help you and your team develop Personal Agility. Contact us today for a quick chat to see how we can partner with you to train and coach you and your team.