Change is an inevitable part of career and life.
Those who adapt quickly will go 10x further than those who don't.
8 proven ways to increase your adaptability, in collaboration with Sidwyn Koh:
1/Type of Work
→Domain Flexibility: Be flexible with your tools, processes, and systems. Learn and grow your toolkit over time, which will help you remain relevant.
→Role Flexibility: Learn adjacent roles and be willing to step in to fill gaps. For instance, as a Software Engineer, read product requirement documents to understand how Product Managers think.
→Stepping into Leadership: Be ready to lead even without a formal title. Read, observe, and imitate others who inspire you—yet in your own authentic way.
2/ Team Dynamic:
→Adapting to manager: Understand your preferred style. Know how much autonomy and feedback you need. Bridge ways of working with your manager and key stakeholders.
→Teammate collaboration: Spend time talking to your teammates to figure out their preferences. Be prepared to change your collaboration style.
→Timelines: Know the potential points of failure within your control. Accept that parts of a project need to be moved around. Communicate early and often to avoid surprises.
3/ Decision Making:
→Changing your Stance: When new data or evidence conflicts with your initial stance, be willing to adapt. Admit that you were initially incorrect.
→Be Open: You don't have all the info. You need the opinions of others to advance your idea. Share your idea with them, and make it theirs.
PS: Adaptability is a superpower in a fast-changing world. Practice it daily.