Change or Die.

In a world that will never remain the same, you cannot be the same, think the same, or act the same if you want to be successful.

Adapt

As the arctic fox adapts its fur to the changing of the seasons, from white in the winter to a brown or grey brindle in the summer to disguise itself in the evolving landscape, so must a leader adapt their leadership capabilities so that they may too remain effective in times of change.

Change or Die.

-Thomas Edgeley                         

Good leaders adapt. They change. They understand that to be successful you must learn, unlearn, and relearn. That doesn’t mean conforming. Dave Martin, the success coach and business leader says:

“There is a profound difference between adaptability and conformity. The “greats” seem to instinctively understand the difference, and while they disdain conformity, they cherish the courageous ability to adjust to changing circumstances. Conformity is the negative quality of blending in, becoming average, refusing to stand out or capitalize on one’s uniqueness. Adaptability is the positive quality of being able to sense the shift in the wind direction and proactively adjust one’s course to take advantage of the wind shift. While conformity is a weakness based upon fear of rejection, adaptability is a strength based upon confidence in oneself and in one’s judgement and abilities.”

Evolve

"If you want to become successful as a leader, you need to learn to become comfortable with uncertainty and make shifts continually." -John C. Maxwell

It is commonly said that good is the enemy of great, but what most don’t realize is that great is the enemy of better. We live in a world that is changing and evolving faster than ever before. Harvard Business Review’s “Mind the Gap” states that “The lessons learned in school can be outdated before students loans are paid off”. Today’s leaders have to adapt and change to keep up with technological trends, modernization, globalization, cultural and political evolution, educational change, and much more and it isn’t uncommon for a skill-set or technology that is necessary today to be completely obsolete tomorrow. Think about your plasma screen TV or your iPod nano.

Change

The lessons learned as a leader are the same. Success isn’t a destination, it's influence. It’s measured in succession. Who are you bringing aboard on your voyage? What does the crew look like on your ship? Are you preparing them for the weather ahead? George Will, political columnist once said: "The future has a way of arriving unannounced." When the winds change, will you adjust your sails or are you going to find yourself capsized in the storm?