Essential Soft Skills for Career Success, Part 9B

Boosting Adaptability, Open-Mindedness and Resilience

Word Count: 1,607 Estimated Read Time: 6 ½ Min.

Are you flexible?  Can you pivot at a moment’s notice and embrace last-minute changes to carefully laid plans?  Do you eschew routine preferring to focus on achieving the goal in whatever way works best?  Can you shift gears seamlessly and embrace alternative approaches as needed?  If so, you’ve got a high capacity to adjust to changing circumstances, plans, and priorities without being rigid.

Are you resilient?  Are you like a Timex watch… you can take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’?  Do you bounce back from defeats and difficulties?  Covid.  Bankruptcy.  Lawsuit.  Illness.  Loss.  Nothing can keep you down long.  Then you have a positive outlook and are able to persevere through adversity.

Are you open minded?  Do you welcome new ideas?  Are you a fashion trendsetter?  Would your family consider you an early adopter, eager to try every new innovation?  Autonomous vehicles.  Deep sea submersibles.  Blockchain.  Face-recognition software.  Artificial intelligence.  CRISPR gene editing.   Robotic surgery.   Animal organ transplant surgery.  Space travel.  Are you game for it all?  That points to a person with a receptive attitude who values innovation and diverse viewpoints.  You understand that change is as inevitable as taxes.

Are you open to learn?   Does your curiosity lead you to proactively seek new knowledge, skills, and abilities?  Do you embrace growth?  Then you have a willingness to step outside your comfort zone and expand your mind.

You probably said yes to all or most of these questions, implying you are a highly adaptable person.  Perhaps you are.  But adaptability is a soft skill that is somewhat rare.  Experts believe that less than one in four people is highly adaptable.  Most people tend to be rigid and closed-minded.

However, this important-yet-often-overlooked soft skill is so disregarded in the hiring process that it is practically invisible.  But discounting adaptability during hiring is risky business because future success is predicated on employees being able to ‘go with the flow’, ‘roll with the punches’, and ‘change with the times’.  In a world characterized by lightning-fast change, it is a must-have skill.  For organizations and their people, the ability to adapt has ascended from the level of ‘somewhat desirable trait’ to the vaunted altitude of ‘crucial competence’.   

Hiring for Adaptability

Practically every type of organization today needs workers who are adaptable.  But given the near invisibility of this skill, it can be a bit challenging to determine a potential hire’s degree of adaptability.  In today’s volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world, adaptability isn’t just a desirable trait; it’s a critical organizational survival skill. From rapidly evolving technologies to shifting market demands, businesses need a workforce that can pivot, learn, and thrive amidst change. It is important for organizations to bolster their adaptability by strategically hiring adaptable individuals.

Interview Questions to Gauge Adaptability

Identifying adaptable candidates requires going beyond standard qualifications and delving into their behavioral patterns and mindset. Since adaptability isn’t always explicitly stated on a resume, hiring managers must employ targeted questioning and assessment techniques.  There are questions HR and/or the hiring manager can ask to gauge how adaptable a candidate is.

Behavioral Questions

1. Describe a time when you faced a significant, unexpected change at work. How did you react, and what steps did you take to adapt? (Listen for examples that show pivoting and resilience.)
   
   
2. Tell me about a situation where you had to learn a new skill or process quickly. What was your approach and what were the results? (Pay attention to answers that show learning agility.)
   
   
3. Give an example of a time you had to work with a team with diverse perspectives. How did you navigate those differences? (Listen for open-mindedness to achieve the goal.)
   
   
4. Describe a time when you had to adjust your plans due to an unforeseen need or demand. What was your thought process, and what did you learn? (Look for responses that reflect flexibility.)
   
   
5. Talk about a time you received constructive criticism that led to a change in your work habits. (Listen for a willingness to learn and improve.)

Situational Questions

1. Imagine we’re implementing a new software system that will significantly change your workflow. How would you approach learning it and integrating it into your daily tasks? (This evaluates proactive learning and change management.)
   
   
2. If you were assigned to a project with constantly shifting priorities, how would you manage your time and stay organized? (This assesses prioritization.)
   
   
3. If a major client suddenly changed their requirements mid-project, how would you communicate with the team and adjust the plan? (This tests for flexibility and open-minded problem-solving under pressure.)

Growth Mindset Questions

1. What is your philosophy on learning new things?
   
   
2. How do you stay up to date on industry trends?
   
   
3. What are some of your recent learning experiences?

Reference Checks for Adaptability

Asking the candidate questions is good.  But some people are adept storytellers and deceivers.  Going beyond verifying employment dates, reference checks should probe a candidate’s adaptability.  For finalists, it helps to speak to references and ask them about the applicant’s past adaptability. 

1. How did the candidate respond to changes in their responsibilities or work environment?
   
   
2. Can you provide an example of a time the candidate demonstrated flexibility and problem-solving skills?
   
   
3. How did the candidate handle unexpected challenges or setbacks?
   
   
4. Did the candidate learn new skills or adapt to new processes quickly?
   
   
5. How well did the candidate collaborate with others during periods of change?

Assessment Tools

There are other ways to assess for adaptability.  Several assessment tools can help gauge a candidate’s potential flexibility, open mindedness, resilience, and growth mindset.

1. Personality Assessments – Tools like the Big Five personality test can reveal traits associated with adaptability, such as openness to new experiences.
   
   
2. Cognitive Agility Tests – These assessments measure a candidate’s ability to process information quickly, learn new concepts, and switch between tasks.
   
   
3. Situational Judgment Tests (SJTs) – SJTs present candidates with realistic work scenarios and ask them to choose the most effective course of action, revealing their willingness or reluctance to pivot, consider new ways forward, persevere, etc. in dynamic situations.
   
   
4. Adaptability Quotient (AQ) Assessments – Some newer assessments are specifically designed to measure a person’s AQ, which is a measure of how well a person can adapt to changes in their environment.  

Cultivating Adaptability in Current Employees

Hiring adaptable individuals is only half the battle. Organizations must also invest in developing the adaptability of their existing workforce.  Thankfully, adaptability – like many skills – can be learned and strengthened. 

Adaptability Strategies include:

• Foster a culture of learning by providing access to training, workshops, and online resources. Promote a growth mindset by celebrating learning and experimentation, even when it involves failure.
  
  
• Embrace change as a constant by communicating upcoming changes transparently and involve employees in the process. Frame change as an opportunity for growth and development, rather than a threat.
  
  
• Empower employees to delegate tasks and provide autonomy.  This allows staff to develop their problem-solving and decision-making skills and encourages them to take ownership of their work and experiment with new approaches.
  
  
• Promote cross-functional collaboration by having employees work in diverse teams and on projects outside their comfort zones. This helps them develop broader perspectives and learn to collaborate with people from different backgrounds.  
  
  
• Provide regular feedback and coaching to each employee of their adaptability and provide coaching to help them develop their skills. Focus on their ability to learn, adapt, and grow.
  
  
• Lead by Example by modeling adaptable behavior that demonstrates flexibility, resilience, and a willingness to learn.

Case in Point:  Flexibility and Adaptability in Leadership

Leading by example is key in demonstrating adaptability.  One needn’t look to far to find an example of a business leader who had no choice but to adapt.  Indra Nooyi served as the CEO of PepsiCo from 2006 to 2018. During her tenure, she faced the challenge of shifting consumer preferences towards healthier options, a significant departure from PepsiCo’s traditional focus on sugary drinks and snacks.   That could have sunk the company much like online book sales sunk Borders.

But not PepsiCo.  Nooyi’s “Performance with Purpose” vision demonstrated her remarkable adaptability. She recognized the changing landscape and steered PepsiCo towards healthier products, investing in nutrition and sustainability.  She diversified the company’s portfolio, acquiring healthier brands and reformulating existing products to reduce sugar and salt content.  Her open-mindedness allowed her to embrace evolving social and environmental concerns, integrating them into PepsiCo’s business strategy.  Her adaptability ensured PepsiCo’s relevance in a health-conscious market. It allowed the company to not only survive but also to thrive, expanding its reach and enhancing its brand image.  That’s leading by example.

Training and development opportunities include:

• Change Management Training – Equip employees with the tools and techniques to navigate change effectively. This training can cover topics such as communication, problem-solving, and stress management.  
  
  
• Emotional Intelligence Training – Develop employees’ self-awareness, empathy, and social skills, which are essential for navigating interpersonal dynamics during periods of change.
   
  
• Resilience Training – Help employees build their resilience by teaching them coping mechanisms for stress and adversity.
  
  
• Agile Methodologies Training – Train employees in agile methodologies, which emphasize flexibility, collaboration, and iterative development.  
  
  
• Technology Training – Provide training on new technologies and software systems to help employees stay current and adept at switching to new tools.

By prioritizing adaptability in both hiring and employee development, organizations can build a workforce that is not only prepared for change but thrives in it. This proactive approach will ensure long-term success in an ever-evolving business landscape.

Adaptability is a skill that can be strengthened.  That’s the kind of attitude that helps keep an organization ready for the next big thing.

Quote of the Week
“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” John F. Kennedy.

© 2025, Keren Peters-Atkinson. All rights reserved.

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