Effective responses to disruptive change

We are living in the digital age, where rampant changes influence consumer behavior and sudden crises can bring the entire organization down. From #artificialintelligence and #predictiveanalysis to purposeful evolution and #sustainable growth, every factor is connected and contributes to the bigger picture.

Thus, instead of questioning the onset of changes, why not prepare yourself to ensure your growth is not obstructed despite the internal challenges and external factors?

What practices demonstrate an agile and adaptive workplace?

>> Continuous learning: According to a recent LinkedIn report, 89% of L&D professionals have agreed to the fact that proactive efforts to build employee skills will help in navigating through the challenges that future disruption brings. We cannot face new challenges with old skillsets. Refusing to stay stagnant will encourage you to gain strengths that will make you aware of your hidden potential and prepare you with the tools to make disruption an advantage.

Center for Creative Leadership 's research-based, pioneering suite of 360? assessment tools enables you to measure your core competencies. Their confidential and contextual feedback allows you to compare your strengths with those of others in similar roles. The specific analyses are helpful to figure out the gap between the skills that need to be gained and the skills that can be improved. If there is difficulty conveying your message, learning and development opportunities will help you work on making your communication skills clear and compassionate.

>> Collaborative connections: As important as individual creativity is, the #innovative ideas that come out of a team during a collaborative activity cannot be given their due credit. When diverse voices unite to contribute their visions, magic happens. The differences in their upbringing, culture, gender, language, race, expertise and experiences bring the X factor that homogeneous workplace communities miss out on.

Collaboration across departments is also useful in preventing silos from forming. To adapt to a change, it is necessary that individuals and departments are able to communicate with one another. I believe that as leaders, it is our responsibility to authenticate people at every hierarchical level and of every identity. When people are seen, heard and valued, they feel a sense of belonging to the organization. The feeling of being included in the workplace community makes an employee express their creativity more freely.

>> Flexible environment: The change in market, economy, objectives and culture cannot sideline the evolving needs of the employees. Many times, now-normal solutions have arisen due to a sudden emergency. However, if these solutions take into account the choices of every section and meet their demands while delivering the same results, embrace them and make them a part of your culture.

It might require the support of the #mentors and coaches, who, with their real-life wisdom and decades of experience, can devise resolutions that are best for the growth of the employees and organization. Along with that, it needs a shift in the mindset of the people from top to bottom. This shift can look different for different people. The motive should be to align the purpose of people with the objective of the company as they evolve and when they evolve, while matching the pace of the corporate world and without compromising on the quality of work.

The changes will remain constant; what we need is to consider the strike of adversity, a knock of opportunity, and utilize it to learn new things and gain more.