Strategy, everyone talks about it – in the boardroom, in the living room, on the field of play, and beyond. I’ve have the word “strategist” in my professional titles. I’ve used strategy to chart new paths forward. And reckon I’m quite a strategic thinker when it comes to navigating business outcomes, project timelines, and desired results.
But, here’s the truth about strategy: It’s made up!
There is no one-size-fits-all strategy.
That’s right. It. Is. Made. Up.
Every business guru, life coach, and boardroom-warrior has their own definition of what “strategy” actually is. Ask five different people and you’ll get five different answers – and honestly, they’ll all probably be right.
Strategy is context. Strategy is story. Strategy is doing whatever works in the moment for the mission at hand using the resources you’ve got.
There are so many unknowns (AKA no one can truly predict or model the future to a T), unexpected pivots, and loop-de-loop moments in the rollercoaster of culture in life which has lead me to believe that there’s truly only one thing that makes a strategy or a strategist truly valuable.
That one thing is adaptability.
What Is Strategy, Really?
If we strip away the jargon, strategy is simply a plan of action designed to achieve a long-term or overall aim.
But, plans change. Markets shift. Chess masters create new moves. People evolve. Life throws curveballs and hurls fastballs at us. That means the best-laid plans often need rewriting. Oftentimes mid-sentence.
That’s where adaptability comes in.
Not as a soft skill, but as your most powerful tool.
A tool that forces us all to become sharper in our reasoning and more open in our willingness to be resilient, creative, and innovative in the face of change.
Adaptability Is the Ultimate Strategy
Being adaptable isn’t a fallback plan – it is the plan. In business and in life, adaptability helps us to pivot (*insert FRIENDS “PIVOT!!!!!!” reference here for all of you millennials and Gen X reading this), grow, and keep moving forward, even when the path disappears under our feet.
Take for example, a McKinsey report found that companies with high adaptability were 2.7x more likely to outperform their peers in financial performance and innovation. Being adaptable drives results.
Beyond that, the Harvard Business Review cites adaptability as the most critical skill for leaders navigating complexity and change. When you can adapt, shift goal-posts, and lead with heart and head through wobbly moments of uncertainty… you can lead through anything.
Beyond the scholarly reports and data-sets above, neuroscience shows that adaptability actually boosts cognitive flexibility, helping us make better decisions, faster. So, if you want to sharpen your mind and strategy skills – practice adaptability.
This means learning to be calm when things don’t go to plan. It means seeing unknowns as opportunities and not threats. It means being able to write a helluva plan for a product or business and then be able to rewrite the whole thing mid-cycle if a rewrite is needed.
When you make adaptability part of your strategy, you’re building resilience into your DNA. Resilient people and businesses bend, but they don’t break.
Tools for Building a Strategy Rooted in Adaptability
Want to future-proof your life and business?
Here are a few grounded tools that I love and often revisit to help you build an adaptable mindset and strategy:
1. The A.C.T. Framework for Adaptable Strategy
Use this to constantly assess and realign:
- A – Awareness
Stay tuned into internal and external shifts. What’s happening in your industry, your body, your team, your relationships? - C – Curiosity
Ask: “What else is possible?” Instead of locking into a single plan, explore options. Stay playful and open-minded. - T – Test & Tweak
Strategy isn’t carved in stone. Try small experiments. Learn. Adjust. Repeat.
2. Reframe Change as Opportunity
Instead of fearing disruption, get curious about it.
I know, I know… it seems a bit “hippy la-la” but try journaling this prompt:
“What’s one challenge I’m facing right now – and how might it actually be a catalyst for growth?”
3. Build a Resilience Toolkit
Resilience isn’t just grit – it’s recovery. Fill your metaphorical toolkit with:
- Micro-recovery rituals (like breathwork, nature walks, or journaling)
- A “gaggle of allies” (mentors, mates, or even a solid playlist)
- A mindset of progress over perfection
4. Use the “Everything’s Made Up” Mental Reboot
When you hit a wall, remember:
– The rules? Made up.
– The timelines? Made up.
– The “right way”? Definitely made up.
So, rewrite the script.
Give yourself permission to pivot.
Be strategic in your approach to adaptability.
Final Thought: Your Strategy Can Be You
Forget the MBA-speak for a moment. The best strategy might not be the most complex plan or the flashiest goal. It might just be the ability to keep moving, keep learning, and keep showing up – even (especially) when the plan changes.
REMEMBER:
Adaptability isn’t weakness.
It’s your superpower.
And when we root our strategy in being flexible, curious, and brave enough to start again? That’s when we’re truly unstoppable.
Call to Action:
📓 Journal Prompt:
Where in my life or work am I clinging to a plan that no longer fits? What would happen if I let go and adapted instead?
Small Step:
This week, do one thing differently than you usually would – just to prove to yourself that you can.
Let’s Chat:
Have you ever had to completely change your strategy in life or work? How did it go? What did you learn? I’d love to hear your story. Comment below, drop me an email or DM me – let’s swap ideas.
