What things shape your decisions and world view? I appreciate the way Tony frames the concept and challenges people to be reflective of how they’re living their life, and for whom. These questions apply equally well to people and organizations.
Author’s 2021 update: It’s one reason we created the Adaptive Flow model below to help leaders clarify how they can use design thinking to clarify organizational purpose, values, and capabilities, and to then use that to design mutually beneficial partnerships with their employees and key partners to also help them also achieve their personal purpose and to work with others who share their values. If two black swan events have taught us anything, it’s that we are highly connected and we live in a VUCA world where adaptability is the most important skill. But to be purely adaptive without purpose or boundaries is simply to bounce from one force to another versus self-authoring our character and developing aligned capabilities while of course also adapting. It’s one reason we help leaders improve execution AND invest in creative renewal in all aspects of their business (a key polarity) at the individual, team/function, and organizational level; it has to be integrated with all the various elements of an organization or else it’s just another scatter shot approach. It’s also one reason we constantly harp on “honest experiments” as a tool to help accelerate learning while mitigating our ego’s many cognitive biases.
—Adaptive Talent is a talent consultancy designed to help organizations achieve amazing results and ongoing adaptability. Founded in 2008 and based in Vancouver, Canada we offer retained search, assessments, total rewards consulting, training, leadership coaching and development programs, and culture & organizational development consulting.