In a business environment experiencing constant turbulence—from both the advantages and downsides associated with the growing use of Artificial Intelligence powered software tools, to political struggles both domestic and international, to marketplace volatility—adaptability has become a prized leadership attribute. Leaders who can exhibit agility, resilience and foresight when yet another upheaval approaches, showing they can lead, and will not be derailed, by the slings and arrows of instability and uncertainty, stand out among their peers and competitors. Adaptability and its pillars—agility, forethought and resilience— have become the foundation for business transformation, innovation and leadership.

Do you consider yourself able to own the fundamentals of adaptability when the ground beneath your feet starts quaking and you’re wondering what your next move should be? Are you are able to steer the ship when big waves are crashing and causing your Freelance entity to rock and roll? Are you able to decipher when you should stay the course and when a pivot seems the better option? The practical definition of adaptability in a business sense may need some clarification. According to Marlo Lyons, an executive, team and career coach who hosts the Work Unscripted podcast, recommends that leaders prepare for 2026 and beyond should:

1) Model change-ready leadership. Among the many disruptive events that have occurred since the mid-20th century, unexpected shifts in national and global business conditions or new technology may appear and gain traction—like mobile phones (Nokia) and music (Walkman)—that impact the way we live and work. The adaptable leader will display behavior that transforms panic into calm as s/he interprets change and unpredictability as manageable challenges rather than a business threat. The adaptable leader shifts into crisis management mode and is prepared to make sound, data-driven decisions that support responsive strategy development while sharing information and rallying team spirit to maintain trust and productivity. Lyons guides her coaching and leadership development clients to “look through the lenses of growth, transformation and risk and align with that perspective and show that you’re thinking like a leader, shift your language from protecting the past to shaping the future.” She points out that responses such as “This is how we’ve always done it” demonstrate a lack of adaptability; it’s a weak excuse and should be avoided by those who aspire to function as an adaptable, effective leader. Try some version of these inquiries—“What might we gain if we reimagine this?” or “What would this look like if we started from scratch today?” Leadership is demonstrated by asking questions that encourage resourcefulness, creativity, strategic thinking, future-proofing and adaptability.

2) Take data-driven risks, be accountable for outcomes.  The adaptable leader possess the emotional intelligence to balance risk-taking, accountability and empathy when the team is struggling from change fatigue and maybe fear as well. Demonstrating empathy means helping people process the discomfort of change and the unknown while maintaining momentum and keeping both hands on the wheel. A leader who doesn’t attempt to gaslight the team and models transparency by acknowledging that change is often unsettling but reassures team members that s/he is there to help everyone maintain equilibrium while traveling through the unknown, able to meet important deadlines and deliver on mission-critical projects—is the prototype of an adaptable leader. Adaptable leaders create psychological safety and encourage performance consistency. The mission of an adaptable leader is to support your people through uncertainty while continuing to hold them to expectations—high-quality work and timely delivery. Empathy keeps stakeholders and team members engaged and accountability keeps everyone moving forward. Leaders who can demonstrate both will earn trust, model EQ and show the team, clients and competitors that you operate as an adaptable leader.

3) Listen, learn and grow. With the rise of AI, leadgen automation and the powerful algorithms of quantum computing, especially when paired with AI, continuous learning in the form of professional development, self-directed and expert-led, is no longer optional. Leaders aspiring to maintain their skill set understand how emerging technologies will impact their teams and the overall organization.

Adaptability and learning agility have become the foundation for business transformation, innovation, and leadership—in a word, excellence. Strengthening and consistently demonstrating your adaptability is an ongoing professional development seminar—and a required course for those who’d like to function as successful leaders in 2026 and beyond. Lyons says that adaptability is linked to the following:

• Agility

Agility is the ability to not only pivot quickly when priorities shift, but to also bring others along with you—like your team and other stakeholders. It is not always necessary to blindly agree with every suggestion made by superiors or key stakeholders. Agile thinking is a core component of being forward-thinking and viewing change as an opportunity for innovation.

• Resilience

Resilience means that you’re able to maintain your composure under pressure. Resilience is a characteristic that supports objective thinking, creativity and your personal best performance—while you’re in the midst of an unexpected turbulent event. Leaders who find a calm focus are prepared to manage the situation, starting with the ability to direct their composure to creating psychological safety for those on their team. Subduing fear and panic, as you know, brings both short and long-term benefits, most notably the ability to contribute and work at their personal best along with you, and thus enhancing productivity and loyalty to both you individually and the company. It will pay to be transparent and acknowledge, rather than attempt to deny, the difficulty of the market and the company’s financial challenges and directed team members to focus on whatever it is they can control. A leader’s continuing steadiness will provide clarity and consistency that allowed their team to keep delivering results amid constant disruption.

• Foresight

Foresight separates reactive, seat-of-the-pants managers from visionary leaders. A prime differentiator between the two is the willingness to recognize that looking beyond whatever performance metrics are observed in the present to anticipate what tomorrow’s challenges could be. More than staying on top of current company performance and studying market data, as well as paying attention to what key competitors are up to—are there any noticeable pivots?—detecting and studying early signs of instability, or significant change, is how to avoid being blindsided. You always want to be positioned to assess potential remedies (or opportunity) and develop the right strategy in response.

But foresight that pertains to market shifts is just part of the equation. Leaders also need to have foresight in technologies innovation and understand the benefits and outcomes that explain the why and wherefor of leveraging them. Leaders who continuously research and map future capability needs, and upskill their teams to understand how and when to use emerging technologies, will demonstrate the strategic foresight and enterprise readiness that illustrate adaptable leadership.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

Image: © Spencer Platt/Getty Images. Midtown Manhattan July 29, 2025.