Thriving in Uncertainty with Mental Agility

Businesses today know that uncertainty is guaranteed and that change will continue to be a constant. We live in an age of rapidly evolving technology, increasing globalisation, and vast opportunities for innovation. These factors will continue to impact the working world far into the future - and not always in ways that we can predict. Add the odd global pandemic, and you have a "new normal" that requires us to expect the unexpected and learn to thrive in it.?

Most of us aren't comfortable with uncertainty - we're hardwired to dislike it. According to research, people experience more feelings of stress when faced with an uncertain outcome than they do when they're confident of a negative outcome. As soon as we're unsure what comes next, our instinct is to restore a feeling of certainty as quickly as possible. So what can we do when our jobs require us to get comfortable with unpredictability?

Mental agility is the ability to respond to situations flexibly and move between ideas quickly. Being mentally agile allows us to accept change and move forward with a new course of action to help forge new paths and spark innovation. As I discuss in a recent coaching video on IGTV, practicing mental agility can help to navigate uncertainty effectively at work:?

Netflix: A case for agility

A great example of a company that has adapted to changing circumstances frequently is Netflix. The business has successfully shifted its business model several times to align with consumer demands and advancements in technology - and grown exponentially because of it.?

The company started in 1997 as a mail-order DVD rental company, pivoting to a video streaming platform in 2007. The business developed into a distributor of original content and is today an entire media company that has won Academy Awards.?

This willingness to recognise when the business model was at risk of becoming obsolete due to where the world was heading and completely reinventing the customer offering according to the market needs has allowed the company to thrive. It has been able to do this because of a commitment to listening to customers - continuously analysing user data and then using this steer strategy.?

What can we learn

There are four things we can learn from Netflix about using mental agility to navigate an unpredictable environment effectively:?

1. Accept the situation and focus on the need for change instead of fighting against it.
2. Take the time to process a changeable landscape. The desire to restore certainty during moments of crisis is what pushes many leaders to make rash decisions instead of sitting with uncertainty until a considered decision can be made.
3. Get creative about approaching the situation from different angles instead of falling back on tried and tested methods. Brainstorm ideas and seek out diverse opinions to spark innovation.
4. Focus on a growth mindset - the belief that talents are not innate gifts; rather, new skills can be developed by learning from experience.?

Steps to develop mental agility?

It's inspiring and encouraging to hear stories of how others have developed mental agility to create results, but how does this apply to you? In a recent coaching video I explored some steps you can take to start to build your mental agility:?

1. Challenge yourself to find new solutions

When you face a new challenge or the situation around you changes, take some time to consider alternative options rather than act immediately on your first idea about how to respond. You may find that you go with your immediate response. Still, you're challenging yourself to consider other options rather than automatically responding in the same way you usually would (which can often lead to achieving the same results you've always achieved). It can also be helpful to gather perspectives and opinions from others you trust to determine how they would respond.

2. Learn from past events to direct your future

When facing an unfamiliar situation, take some time to consider how you've responded to challenges in the past. What would you do again in the same situation? What would you do differently? This process turns past challenges into learning experiences that will shape how you tackle challenges in the future.?

3. Make continuous improvement part of your routine

Often, it's the minor tweaks to our habits that create lasting results over time. Take some time every week to quickly review what's gone well for you over the last week and what you would like to do differently in the future. This can be a very simple process, which is ideal because you want the review process to be as appealing as possible to ensure your review time doesn't get bumped in your diary.

Your mental agility tips

As demonstrated by Netflix, mental agility can help us thrive in uncertainty - which is itself one of the most important things to learn when navigating today's unpredictable landscape at work.?

How have you developed your mental agility? Please feel free to share your tips in the comments.

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