Learn to roll with the punches
Six tips to help you become a more adaptable leader
In boxing, the roll is a defensive technique typically used to help you avoid being hit by your opponent’s hook punch. It’s been a while since I’ve been in a boxing gym, but I remember the roll technique as a highly effective way to avoid being punched in the face.
In business we often parrot the phrase just roll with the punches.
In the metaphorical sense, that statement essentially means the same things. A leader who is good at rolling with the punches is someone who is highly adaptable, who isn’t quick to get angry or emotional when a situation doesn’t go their way, and who doesn’t get riled up by the unexpected change.
Here are six ways you can practice adaptability as a leader to help you learn to roll with the punches more effectively.
Understand that it’s not about you. When something unexpected or negative happens, remember that you’re not being targeted. This is life and business, and sometimes things just happen. When you detach your personal value from the situation and understand that things just happen it allows you better regulate your emotions to the situation.
Assume the best. When you approach your daily efforts with a positive attitude and assume the best (of people and situations), it helps you keep your cool and maintain your composure in difficult situations.
Build flexibility into your day. One reason leaders react negatively to unexpected setbacks and delays is because they don’t build enough flexibility and margin into their lives. When you lack flexibility, you need everything to go exactly as planned, all the time. That’s not realistic. The way you fix this isn’t by “forcing” everything to go your way. The way you fix this is by learning to be more flexible with your time and efforts and building more margin into your day. This way, when something doesn’t go your way, you have the ability to pivot, adjust, and still achieve your desired goals!
Learn to pilot and pivot. This is especially important for leaders who are embarking on major change efforts or launching new things. In change leadership we talk a lot about the concept of pilot and pivot. Create a change, however big or small, and test it. Get into market fast, gain learning and insight, then make moves as you learn. Therefore, change is not failure. Change is an expected step in the learning and development process. This approach embeds the assumption that what you’re doing today is not where you’ll end up tomorrow, and thus, helps you maintain more flexibility.
Double down. When something goes bad unexpectedly, sometimes you need to redouble your focus and effort to get back on track. If you build up the emotional and physical reserves of energy so that you can give more time, effort, and energy at these points, you’ll be more likely to succeed in the chaos. A leader who doesn’t take care of themselves and regularly depletes their energy because they aren’t resting and recovering will have difficulty doubling down when the situation calls for it.
Be curious. The curious leader regularly asks why. When you seek to understand and to learn in every situation, you approach roadblocks and setbacks as opportunities to learn and improve instead of reasons to give up and throw in the towel.
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