Learn to adapt if you want a prosperous career

By Goretti Kimani

To adapt is to adjust one’s attitude and behavior to fit a particular situation or environment.

An individual’s view of life is largely dictated by their own perception of themselves and the surroundings. And it is rarely objective, but it is a sum total of the opinions formed from their experiences in life.

You may have heard of the statement that there is no such a thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. Just as we adapt to the weather, we must learn adapt at work to see progress in our careers.

Don’t forget that building a career involves making decisions, and taking actions that touch on others everyday. So it is imperative that you be dynamic and have an open mind if you want to be successful.

The tragedy is that there are too many people whose minds are fixated on a certain style of doing things. This attitude is not only selfish, it is also dangerous and bound to stifle growth. The progressive individual must be constantly on the lookout for changes that work today as opposed to what used to work yesterday.

supportive to goals

How can one build a culture of adaptability? You must start by defining your personal values, belief and attitudes, then critique them to make sure they are supportive of your career goals, before finally letting them dictate the decisions you make.

You have to ask yourself the following questions 1) Are your values useful outside your village or locality? 2) Do they depict you as a person who appreciates the emerging global market?  3) Do you insist that things must be done your way?\

pertinent questions

 4)Do you take time see other peoples’ opinions? 5) Are you the inquisitive or the rubber stamp type? 6) Are you proactive or do you always wait for prompting to do anything? 7) What would you be caught doing when your boss is away? 8) Do you meet and exceed your employer’s expectations or are you the type that does the bare minimum work just to survive? 9) Do you appreciate or loathe new technologies?

The way you answer these questions will determine how far ahead you get.  These questions must be followed by concrete action meant to reinforce the desired behavior to put you back on track.

Don’t forget that humans, by nature, are comfortable with status quo and dislike change. However, one must realise that we don’t embrace change because we love it. Rather it’s because change is conducive to our very survival — your career included.

small sacrifice

In these fast changing times, any fixation of mind is a direct ticket to failure, oblivion and suffering. Adapting ahead is better than waiting for circumstances to force you to change. Moreover, companies are on the lookout for the right-minded and easily adaptable individuals who are ready to take the organisation to the next level. Adaptation is a small sacrifice that will reap the ultimate reward of career growth and fulfillment.

The writer is a human resources specialist with Peoplelink Consultants Ltd.  Email: goretti@peoplelink.co.ke