HIGHLIGHTS
- It’s important to know what works well for us and how to maximize it, rather than dwelling on methods that prevent us from getting the best out of ourselves.
- We must learn to co-exist with ambiguity and uncertainty.
“I am very much me, and changing myself.” This verse from Rosalía’s song “Saoko” could well apply to new professional contexts, where the idea of a mechanical and rigid job has made way for a flexible reality in which evolution is constant, whether it be through technological innovations, changes in our own lives that push us toward greater conciliation, or diverse new approaches emerging in fields like STEM.
In this panorama marked by permanent transformation, soft skills are no longer a mere accessory but essential elements for professional development. Communication, adaptability and leadership are some of the competencies that - linked more to emotional and social, rather than strictly productive, needs - permit us to manage situations of all kinds without losing sight of the human part of the equation.
What will I learn from this article?
- Learning and unlearning
- Getting to know yourself through others
- A fluid mindset
- Liquid spaces: when the workplace also adapts
One of the soft skills that can make the difference for us, and those around us, is adopting an adaptive mindset, i.e. the capacity to adapt our strategies to unexpected elements we come across, to unshackle oneself and play the hand we have been dealt, which is not always going to be the best for us. An organizational culture that is flexible and open to change and learning, where nothing is taking for granted and all can be nuanced, where we can exploit opportunities to grow organically in complex environments.
It’s important to know what works well for us and how to maximize it, instead of dwelling on methods that prevent us from getting the best out of ourselves.
Although some people are more pre-disposed to this than others, soft skills and an adaptive mindset does not come naturally, but have to be learned if they are to become really useful. The first step is to establish which strategies we are employing really do serve us and which end up being a drag on our performance. As well as accumulating knowledge, it is convenient to analyze it to optimize our performance and unlearn habits, rigidities and models which no longer work and oblige us to operate in a way that ends up breaking everything. Improving dialog and empathy with others, and getting to know other viewpoints, can help us to broaden our own horizons and see the basic errors we are still committing. As Albert Einstein said: "We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Something as simple as a conversation with a colleague, or assuming a task another person is normally responsible for, can be a totally revolutionary element in our routines.
Meanwhile, as well as getting to know others, self-knowledge applied to our own “plurality” is essential in learning to adapt. Knowing what works well for us and how to maximize it, instead of dwelling on methods that prevent us from getting the best out of ourselves. Harvard psychologist and researcher Howard Gardner developed the theory of multiple intelligences, according to which each of us, depending on our context, education and own personality, excel in one or other field, without this meaning that we are better or worse than others. In this respect, some people find communication easier, while some tend toward creativity, and others logical thinking.
Gardner identified up to 12 intelligence types present to one level or another in humans, but which can be developed equally and maximized individually. If we cease to see ourselves as opaque entities and understand that our skills are distinct according to our trajectory, we’ll see that joint work with people with different intelligence types coming from different contexts will be much more fruitful that if we only contemplate the existence of an absolute intelligence or single way from which we cannot deviate. In this way, always seeking to learn from others and becoming aware of our weaknesses to be able to adapt to the world, becomes a strength whose power goes far beyond any individual or innate talent.
We must learn to co-exist with ambiguity and uncertainty.
Maybe the best metaphor explaining the adaptive mindset is to compare existence with water, as proposed by the Chinese philosopher Lao-Tse in his treatise Tao Te Ching. Tao’s philosophy says we should let ourselves flow, adapting our ways to where they take us and not the inverse. Trust is the key: to let ourselves be surprised by what others can contribute and what we can achieve if we dare to take the leap. And, finally, something vital: to accept that we cannot control everything. Co-existing with ambiguity and uncertainty can transform our way of being, both in life and at work, and in many cases give us more satisfaction than anything we might feel we will lose.
But this way of understanding change does not depend on people alone. A fluid mindset can find its most tangible reflection in so-called “liquid” workspaces, designed not from rigid structures, but out of the real needs of people and each task. We explored this in an article on liquid workspaces which evolve throughout a day, offering places to concentrate, collaborate or disconnect, according to the moment. Far from imposing a single way of working, it proposes something more important: understanding that there is no universal formula. When the environment adjusts to those who occupy it, adaptation ceases to be an individual challenge and becomes a shared culture.
Dalia Alonso holds a degree in Classical Philology from the University of Oviedo. Her writing reflects a thoughtful approach to major social and business challenges. She is currently an editor at Ethic magazine, where she covers topics such as leadership, productivity, and social and workplace transformation. She has also worked in strategic communications and storytelling for various organisations, helping to craft narratives that resonate with corporate values.