Flexibility vs. Adaptability: Why Going "Back to Normal" is a Trap with Tom Sligting
About this episode
Tom Sligting discusses the difference between flexibility and true adaptability in the context of organizational change.
Over the last few years, we've all patted ourselves on the back for being incredibly "flexible" during times of change. During the pandemic we worked from home, mastered Zoom, and kept the lights on. But are we actually adaptable? In this archive episode of Connected Leadership Bytes, Andy Lopata sits down with global speaker and comedian Tom Sligting to explore the critical difference between flexibility and true adaptability. Tom argues that the desire to go "back to normal" proves that while we may be flexible in the short term, we are struggling with the long-term mindset shifts required to be truly adaptable. Using the brilliant analogy of the 2006 smartphone, Tom explains why sweeping changes fail and why adaptability requires us to embrace discomfort. Discover why your brain's autopilot is your biggest enemy, how to identify your weakest "power skills," and why bringing a 21-year-old onto a veteran team isn't enough to future-proof your business if the mindset doesn't change. Key Takeaways The iPhone Metaphor: Why handing a 2006 professional a modern smartphone with all its current demands would have caused a total rejection of the technology—and what that teaches us…
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