14 Signs Of An Adaptable PersonBy Jeff Boss , Forbes | September 3 , 2015 The need for adaptability has never been greater than it is now . The ability for people , teams and organizations to adapt to changes in their environments , stay relevant and avoid obsolescence is the defining characteristic between success and failure , growth and stagnation , business and bankruptcy . To stay relevant as an organization you to think and act adaptively ( is that a word ? ); you need the right people in the right places which only comes from how leaders shape their environments . However , the internal processes within that environment are driven by individuals who are willing and able to adapt to that leader ’ s directives when called upon . As an adaptability coach , the trend I see is common : an unwillingness to adopt something new simply because of all the “ newness ” surrounding it , and this unwillingness typically stems from a number of factors : lack of self -/ situational awareness , poor communication , unclear decisions , ego , lack of accountability . So , what does an “ adaptable person ” look like ? Here are 1 . Adaptable people experiment . To adapt you must be open to change , which means you must have the will — emotional tolerance , mental fortitude , spiritual guidance — to not only face uncertainty but smack it in the face and press on . 2 . Adaptable people see opportunity where others see failure . To adapt is to grow , to change , and to change you must forego what you once believed to be “ right , ” classify it as “ wrong , ” and then adopt what you now believe to be the new “ right . ” If you don ’ t , you stagnate . This is something that not only individuals but organizations struggle with — habits that have defined their success in the past rather than questioning whether or not those same habits will continue defining success in the future . Chances are , they won ’ t . If they did , then Blockbuster , Borders , and every other company that failed to adapt to a “ new right ” ( i . e . new reality ) would still be in business . 3 . Adaptable people are resourceful . You can take away a person ’ s resources , but you can ’ t remove resourcefulness . Rather than getting stuck on one solution to solve a problem , adaptable people have a contingency plan in place for when Plan A doesn ’ t work . In other words … ( see next ) 4 . Adaptable people think ahead . Always open to opportunity ( see below ) , adaptable people are always on the lookout for improvement ; minor tweaks that will turn ordinary into extra - ordinary because they ’ re not married to the one - size - fits - all solution . 5 . Adaptable people don ’ t whine . If they can ’ t change or influence a decision , they – yup , you guessed it – adapt and move on . 6 . Adaptable people talk to themselves . But not in a weird way . When they feel their blood pressure rising , their teeth coming together and their fists clenching , they flip the “ mental switch ” through self - talk . Engaging in positive self - talk is the single greatest habit you can learn for yourself . 7 . Adaptable people don ’ t blame . They ’ re not a victim to external influences because they ’ re proactive . To adapt to something new you must forego the old . Adaptable people don ’ t hold grudges or eschew blame needlessly but instead absorb , understand and move on . 8 . Adaptable people don ’ t claim fame . They don ’ t care about the limelight because they know it ’ ll soon burn out . Rather than wasting effort on a temporary issue , they shift their focus to the next obstacle to get ahead of the game so that when everybody else finally jumps on board , they ’ ve already moved on to the next challenge . 9 . Adaptable people are curious . Without curiosity , there is no adaptability . Adaptable people learn — and keep learning . Curiosity enables growth ; it pulls you along , as opposed to willpower , which pushes you forward . Willpower only lasts so long as you like being pushed . Does anybody like being pushed ? Didn ’ t think so . 10 . Adaptable people adapt . How ’ s that for defining a definition with its own definition ? 11 . Adaptable people stay current . If you want to adapt to change you must know what to adapt to and why it ’ s important . Communication is at the heart of everything we do , and adaptable people realize the impact their words , tone and body language have on others which is why they plug - and - play according to the personalities involved . 12 . Adaptable people see systems . No , not systems of stars or galaxies ( was I way off on that one ? ). What I mean is adaptable people see the entire forest rather than just a few trees . They have to , otherwise they would lack the repertoire of context from which they base their decisions on to adapt . 13 . Adaptable people open their minds . If you ’ re not willing to listen to others ’ points of view then you ’ ll be limited in your thinking , which means you ’ ll also be limited in your adaptability . The more context you have , the more choices that position you toward change . 14 . Adaptable people know what they stand for . The choice to change isn ’ t an easy one , however neither is the choice to remain the same . Choosing to adapt to something new and forego the old requires a strong understanding of personal values ; knowing what ’ s important to you — and what isn ’ t — that cajoles you along the pathway of adaptability . How do you deal with change ?