previously held ideas and assumptions by seeking out situations that are novel and unfamiliar.
Leaders who remain safely inside their comfort zone provided by their current level of education, training, and experience will never learn to recognize change or understand the inevitable changes in their environment. Adaptability is encouraged by a collection of thought
habits. These include open-mindedness, ability to consider multiple perspectives, not jumping to conclusions about what a situation is or what it means, willingness to take risks, and being resilient to setbacks. To become more adaptable, leaders should—
• Learn to adapt by adapting. Leaders must go beyond what they are comfortable with and must get used to experiencing the unfamiliar through diverse and dynamic challenges. For example, the Army’s best training uses thinking like an enemy to help leaders recognize and accept that no plan
survives contact with the enemy. This encourages adaptive thinking. Adaptive training involves variety, particularly in training that may have become routine.
• Lead across cultures. Leaders must actively seek out diverse relationships and situations.
Today’s joint, interagency, and multinational assignments offer challenging opportunities to interact across cultures and gain insight into people who think and act differently than most Soldiers or average U.S. citizens. Leaders can grow in their capacity for adaptability by seizing such opportunities rather than avoiding them.
• Seek challenges. Leaders must seek out and engage in assignments that involve major changes in the operational environment. Leaders can be specialists, but their base of experience should still be broad. As the breadth of experience accumulates, so does the capacity to adapt. Leaders who are exposed to change and embrace new challenges will learn the value of adaptation. They
carry forward the skills to develop adaptable Soldiers, civilians, units, and organizations.
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