Thinking flexibly allows leaders to adapt to the moment responsively, with calm confidence and skill.

Have you noticed that when you're feeling stretched or depleted you can become mentally rigid? It's harder to shift your perspective and stay open-minded and receptive to new inputs...

On the flip side, when we think flexibly we can read each situation and readily adapt, with calm confidence. Cognitive flexibility, or adaptability is an essential trait for leaders. The capacity to think laterally and shift perspectives quickly is essential for responding effectively to complex issues. Leaders who cultivate this quality find creative solutions that not only address, but actually harness the potential of the challenges at hand.

Over three decades of robust research led by the pioneering behavioural scientist and ACT founder, Dr Steven Hayes, has found that adaptability (or what ACT refers to as psychological flexibility) is a key mediator for our mental health, resilience and wellbeing.¹

The more open, aware and committed to values-driven behaviour we are, the more we are able to flourish, even through life's toughest challenges.²

Our mindsets shape our worldview. They fundamentally influence how we see, think, feel and act in the world.³

Mindsets are the underlying set of beliefs and assumptions we hold about ourselves, our organisations and the challenges we face, says Robert Kramer in his compelling paper, From Skillsets to Mindsets (2016). They critically shape what we perceive and how we make sense of the world - as individuals,  leaders or groups.

"Mindsets are leaders’ mental lenses that dictate what information they take in and use to make sense of and navigate the situations they encounter. Simply, mindsets drive what leaders do and why." ⁴

^{Harvard Business Review, 2022} 

Cultivating courageous and curious mindsets builds openness to new experiences, receptivity to feedback and persistence.

The strengths of an adaptable, accepting mindset apply even more powerfully to those in leadership roles.

 More open-minded and receptive, leaders with adaptable mindsets actually think differently.5

• They find it easier to recognise patterns and identify novel solutions
• They are more able to think both critically and creatively
• Open to making more informed and effective decisions

By being open to alternative perspectives, leaders can better understand the diverse needs of their employees, clients and stakeholders and develop better strategies to meet them. They can optimise teams dynamics by: 

• Fostering rapid rapport
• Facilitating the open cross-fertilisation of ideas
• Modelling effective collaboration  
  

Adaptable leaders are able to make nuanced decisions that benefit the team as a whole, improving employee engagement, team cohesion and organisational success.

Adaptability allows leaders to communicate more effectively. Empathic and audience-focused, they know how to listen attentively and engage tactfully creating an open space for sharing ideas and resolving conflicts.

 "Leaders… need to radically transform their mental models … creating capacity for seeing what others cannot and thinking what others have not thought." ⁶ 

^{R. Kramer, 2016}

Shifting outdated or reactive mindsets is a vital skill for leaders managing complexity, in all its diversity. By becoming more responsive and agile, adaptable leaders provide psychological safety, positive engagement and more cohesive team dynamics. This in turn enables more creative solutions and opens up new, unforeseen opportunities.  

Adaptability = Self-awareness + Resilience

Try out our Stress Less Practice

Calm down quickly and build mental composure

This breathing practice is a powerful stress management tool that calms the nervous system very quickly. It will build your ability to stay composed and think clearly, even as the demands increase.

Duration: 5:22

You might also like to watch...

Psychological flexibility: How love turns pain into purpose, Steven Hayes TEDx, 2016 
A compelling TEDx talk (20 mins) with respected Psychologist Dr Steven Hayes on his wrestle with anxiety and panic attacks. He summarises how we tame the mind and develop psychological flexibility.

Sources

<sup>1. Hayes, S et al. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. The process and practice of mindful change, 2012
2. Hayes, S. The Liberated Mind. The essential guide to ACT, 2019
3 & 6. Kramer, R, From skillset to mindset: A new paradigm for leader development, 2016
4. Gottfredson, R & Reina C. To Be a Great Leader, You Need the Right Mindset, Harvard Business Review, 2020
5. Kellerman, G. R. & Seligman M. TomorrowMind. Thriving at Work with Resilience, Creativity, and Connection, 2023</sup>