What is adaptability?
Adaptability is the ability to adjust to new conditions and changing circumstances. Adaptable people not only have the ability to alter their thinking, behaviour, and approach to deal with a new situation, but also to thrive in response to change. An adaptable person may also be described as a flexible person.
There are plenty of situations that may require you to be adaptable in the workplace, like changes in the external environment, market conditions, or technological advancements.
Every industry and organisation will face unpredictable situations, so employers value employees that can navigate uncertainty, seize opportunities, and thrive in dynamic environments.
Adaptability skills
An adaptable person has a suite of skills which they draw on when facing a new challenge. Here are the most common adaptability skills, often used together, to ensure that you can handle a changing situation with effortless poise and effectiveness.
Communication skills
Communication is an adaptability fundamental. Clear and open communication fosters teamwork, prevents misunderstandings, and enhances productivity during times of change. It's particularly useful if a change has prompted working with diverse teams, departments, or stakeholders.
Other situations where you may require strong verbal and written communication skills include sharing and receiving information about changes, managing expectations of responsibilities and deadlines, and building relationships and fostering trust among colleagues.
Don't forget about non-verbal communication skills either. The way that you speak and your facial expression will convey much more than your words.
Interpersonal skills
Closely related are interpersonal skills, which are crucial for adaptability in the workplace as they facilitate relationship building, collaboration, conflict resolution, and more. They are also known as people skills.
Adapting to new circumstances in the workplace often requires teamwork. Interpersonal skills help you to work effectively in groups, leverage collective strengths, and pool resources. This may aid innovative problem-solving and better outcomes during times of change.
Adaptable individuals with strong interpersonal skills can understand and appreciate different workstyles and personalities. This helps to foster effective collaboration and enhance cooperation to achieve common goals.
Leadership skills
Regardless of whether you're a leader or manager in the workplace, leadership skills are a vital component of any adaptability toolkit.
Adaptability often requires influencing and inspiring others to embrace change, take risks, and explore new opportunities. With leadership qualities, you can effectively communicate the benefits and rationale behind proposed changes.
Change can sometimes elicit resistance or conflicts in the workplace too. With strong leadership skills, you can manage them constructively to find win-win solutions that promote harmony and maintain productivity during periods of adaptation.
Resilience skills
Resilience is the ability to recover from, or withstand, difficulties: AKA, a strong backbone. This is arguably one of the most important skills in your adaptability arsenal. A changing situation sometimes requires bravery before anything else.
If you have resilience, you can bounce back from setbacks and persevere in the face of adversity. You're less likely to be discouraged or overwhelmed by challenges, which allows you to adapt and find solutions more effectively. Your positive, motivated mindset may even inspire others too.
Problem-solving skills
Problem-solving skills are adaptability's best friend. When there's change afoot, there's a solution to be found.
Adaptability in the workplace often requires identifying and addressing obstacles that arise due to changes in the work environment. If you have the ability to solve problems, you can analyse complex situations, break them down into manageable components, and identify the root causes of issues. An analytical mindset paves the way for finding appropriate solutions to effectively navigate change.
Strategic thinking skills
When anticipating and preparing for change, strategic thinking comes in useful. If you can think strategically, you can analyse situations, anticipate future trends, weigh up options, and evaluate potential outcomes.
When the path forward isn't always clear, an organisation will value a strategic thinker - especially one that uses this skill to understand the business's broader goals and objectives and navigate the situation.
How to show adaptability on your CV
Adaptability incorporates a range of soft skills, so the best way to highlight your adaptability is by highlighting achievements that demonstrate relevant examples of your capability. Add examples of your adaptability in the workplace, supported by facts and statistics, to your employment history section.
Of course, adaptability might not be at the top of the prospective employer's requirements list. Be sure to read through the job description thoroughly and research the company to gauge how heavily you need to demonstrate your adaptability skill set.
If the answer is, “not that heavily,” you may choose to include nods to your skillset in the key skills section of your CV. Skills might include:
Failing that, you might choose to describe yourself as an “adaptable professional” in your personal profile and expand on your skill set in the interview.
Adaptability interview questions
An employer is more likely to look for examples of your adaptability during the interview phase. You will likely receive some behavioural interview questions designed to gauge your ability to adapt to new situations and handle change. Common questions about adaptability include:
Can you provide an example of a time when you had to adapt to a significant change in your previous job?
How do you handle unexpected changes or challenges in the workplace?
Tell us about a time when you had to work with a new team or in a different work environment
Describe a situation where you had to learn a new skill or technology in a short period
Give us an example of a project or task where the requirements or goals changed midway
Can you share an experience when you received feedback that required you to make significant adjustments in your work?
Tell us about a time when you had to work on multiple projects with competing deadlines
Describe a situation when you had to deal with resistance or opposition from colleagues or team members regarding a proposed change
Can you give an example of a time when you proactively sought out new knowledge or skills to adapt to a changing industry landscape?
Tell us about a time when you had to navigate a difficult organisational or cultural change
Collected From TopCV
