The Power of Agility: Career Lessons from Constant Change

I started my career as a Biomedical Engineer, eventually stepping into senior hospital management—a role filled with meaningful innovation and learning. But life had other plans. Before I knew it, I was transitioning into an Account Manager role in telecom training, a sector I’d never imagined joining. Suddenly, I was way out of my depth, surrounded by unfamiliar challenges. But I dove in, asked countless questions, and thankfully had a supportive manager, an inspiring CEO, and a fantastic team guiding me through.

Within a year, our region was creating some of the boldest, most innovative training solutions, helping the business not only meet but surpass its goals. Then came another pivot—I was tapped to help lead a groundbreaking retail project in India, a field as foreign to me as a new language. By then, however, I’d developed a template for success: stay curious, stretch beyond the comfort zone, and rely on core principles. This mindset saw me through greenfield projects across Singapore and, later, Australia.

Today, I find myself in a project - another adventure that is challenging, providing me loads of learning. As a Change Manager, I’m navigating a complex project with competing priorities, political nuances, and multiple agendas. Each challenge reminds me of the valuable lessons from my past, and my “playbook” of experiences helps me tackle the unknown with confidence and agility.

3 Tips for Navigating Change as a Leader:

1. View Change as a Growth Opportunity: Embrace each transition as a chance to expand your skillset and resilience.
2. Build and Lean on Your Network: Success thrives on strong relationships—invest in those who will support and challenge you.
3. Stay Flexible, Draw on Experience: Adapt past insights to new situations, balancing experience with fresh thinking.

Reflection: Resilience and agility are mindsets. When was the last time you truly embraced the unknown?

Kannan CS Garth Holloway Parag Patki Muthu Chella Bharathi Andrew Bryant, CSP Isabella Sumagaysay Baishakhi Connor Helen Skamvougeras Laurie Drachenberg Varun Mehta Vinil Chandrashekar Narendra Lomada Sanjeev Puri Joanne Newborn Donald (Don) Stevens, MBA, SPHR, ICF-PCC Ryan Miller Pratibha Saraswat Raj Bowen Sonia Mehta Hema M Srinivas Jarrod Siegertsz