Strategic Agility: Mastering the Adaptability Game

In the era of accelerated complexity, uncertainty has outpaced our brain’s adaptability.

The epidemic failure of leaders to adapt to uncertainty is the challenge of our times.

We don’t know what to expect.

Who will lead, who will be a deer in headlights?

Instead of rapidly adapting we default to familiar patterns. Our brains shut down, not completely, but we stick with what is known, routines and habits. The safe bet.

When confronted by enormous pressure we rely on willpower, pushing harder, playing small, accepting excuses for up and down mediocre results, avoiding conflict believing it helps us not fail or be rejected. Even repeating counterproductive patterns when we know better.

Leaders don’t fail because of mistakes, everyone makes them. They fail because they don’t adapt fast enough on the gameboard of power.

Not adapting fast enough can undermine your performance. Your ability to think strategically requires rapid adaptive thinking, can you shift gears fast enough? Or are you mishandling your critical interactions with your boss or your team? The inability to adapt to uncertainty undermines your executive presence when it is most needed. And if you want a promotion, it is essential to adapt rapidly to the gameboard of power.

The brain’s primary directive is to resolve uncertainty.

Why? Because it’s wired for security, survival, and safety.

We feel secure, safe, and confident in our survival when we remain within what’s familiar. When things are certain, we rely on well-worn patterns of thought and behavior.

Some call this the comfort zone, but it's more accurately described as clinging to the familiar. As risks increase, we instinctively seek refuge in what we know. Change, stepping outside the familiar, is perceived as a threat.

Criticism often follows mistakes. Consider the decisions you’re making.

Are you sticking to the familiar to avoid inevitable critiques? Do you maintain your confidence, learn quickly, and move forward, or do you play small?

For the brain, perceived threats are as real as actual dangers. Losing status within your team or missing out on a promotion are not minor concerns—they are direct challenges to your power and influence.

Do the rules in your head keep you playing in the familiar zone?

You might want to check because the rules can keep you from seeing the reality of playing small or acting defensive. Or do your rules enable you to push the envelope?

Every decision, whether emotional or strategic, can put your power at risk—unless you are fortified with strategic agility.

Understanding the Game

As you hone your skills in game-spotting from the previous Gameboarding™ newsletter, you'll start to recognize which strategies lead to productivity and significant victories.

Remember, a game is essentially a pattern of interactions, unfolding like a story with players operating within a set framework of rules, objectives, rewards, and threats.

Mastering this game is all about securing wins through effective collaboration, expanding your gains, and having the courage to pivot and reshape the game when needed.

But how do you turn these challenges into opportunities? How do you ensure that every move you make not only counts but also sets you apart from the competition?

Also, what happens when you hit a roadblock, when the usual strategies no longer yield the desired results, or when you encounter counterproductive behaviors?

Let's explore these crucial questions, unlocking the secrets of strategic agility to master the game of adaptability.

Breaking the Pattern

Often, we get stuck because we're trapped in a routine—a habitual approach to situations that no longer serves us well. We have habits and game rules to stay within your lane.

To change these habits, it’s crucial to outmaneuver the hidden tendency to shut down your brain’s adaptability. It’s not willpower or pushing harder or doing more of what you tried but doesn’t work. When unlocked your brain's adaptability is a superhero-like ability to shift and evolve.

Adaptability should not be confused with mere adjustment; it's about transformative change that allows you to break free from the status quo. You begin to unlock the status quo by identifying the rules you are living by, like don’t rock the boat or suck it up and be tough, rather than a rule that opens the possibility. Instead of staying with the familiar, consider a next step option.

First Adapter Model: Fortune Favors the Most Adaptable

The First Adapter model celebrates the power of adaptability, your strategic agility. Three major skills: 1) Spot the game like Sherlock Holmes, 2) Bust the patterns, like Serena Williams and 3) Set the frame to influence, like Mahatma Gandhi.

First Adapters spot the hidden rules and unmask agendas. They understand the unsaid, and see beyond the surface. In every interaction they read between the lines, spotting underlying dynamics.

The person with the most adaptability, the quickest to adapt wins more often.

Real-Life Examples of Strategic Agility

Let’s look at some notable examples of individuals and companies that have excelled by breaking patterns and embracing adaptability:

• Serena Williams: In tennis, Serena Williams didn't just play the game—she changed it. By continuously adapting her play style and strategies, she overcame numerous challenges and dominated the world of tennis, achieving exceptional results.
• Dick Fosbury: In the high jump, Dick Fosbury revolutionized the technique with what is now known as the Fosbury Flop. By daring to change the jumping style, he won gold medals and redefined the sport.
• Avis: In the competitive car rental industry, Avis embraced its position as the second to Hertz by launching the "We try harder" campaign. This 180 degree non-conventional strategy of admitting they were number two and striving to improve resonated with customers and revitalized the brand.

• Netflix: Netflix completely transformed the home entertainment industry by questioning the prevailing rental model and adapting to new technology and consumer preferences. Their strategy not only outpaced Blockbuster but also fundamentally changed how people consume media.

Adapting to Succeed

So, how can you apply these lessons to your own leadership or business strategies?

Here are actionable steps to enhance your adaptability:

1. Foresight, Anticipate One Step Ahead: Regularly ask yourself, "What’s the next win?" Predict upcoming challenges or opportunities and plan a move that keeps you ahead. This foresight prepares you to act decisively rather than react impulsively.
2. Use the Rules to Your Advantage: Fully understand the dynamics and rules of your situation—whether in business, negotiations, or team management. Use this knowledge to craft strategies that give you an edge, creatively leveraging the rules to benefit your goals.
3. Bulletproof, Fortify Against Hidden Threats: Prepare for the worst by identifying potential risks and hidden challenges. Train yourself to recognize ulterior motives, covert obstacles, and unseen pitfalls. Build anti-fragility by overcoming the fear of criticism, mediocrity, and staying in your familiarity zone.
4. Predict the Pattern: The better patterns you see, the better predictions you make. The person who can predict what is going to happen next is the most powerful in the room. The more accurately you can predict what’s coming next, the more control you have.
5. Leverage the Power of Surprise: Use unexpected actions or ideas to disrupt the status quo and capture attention. Incongruity forces others to reassess their assumptions, giving you a strategic advantage when the situation shifts in your favor.
6. Change the Frame, Change the Game: Influence others by shifting how they see the situation. Frame problems or opportunities to align with the future people desire. By controlling the frame, you can steer decisions and actions toward outcomes that benefit you.

Your Turn to Play Big

Most leaders now have 4-5 Big decisions you must make on your gameboard before year-end.

Conventional wisdom says to ride out the rest of the year, but the game is won in how you finish.

Did you know that under pressure of finishing strong your brain can cause unforced errors? Worse yet, hidden game rules in your brain can subconsciously and inadvertently cause you to play small, leading to mediocrity.

Now, as you move forward, think about how you can turn challenges into opportunities by adapting your strategies. How can you transform your approach to not just keep up, but lead and redefine the game?

Are you ready to enhance your strategic agility and embrace adaptability in your leadership and business strategy?

Share your thoughts or experiences, and if you’re looking to dive deeper into mastering these skills, consider booking a consultation with me. Call me to confidentially discuss your Big Decisions, unlock the hidden game rules in your brain, and make exceptional big decisions.

Finish Strong.

Let’s explore how you can harness the power of adaptability to achieve outstanding results.

About Steven Feinberg, PhD

Steven Feinberg, PhD., is a distinguished Neurostrategist, Executive Coach, and High Performance Team Builder, renowned for enhancing the capabilities of some of America's sharpest and smartest brains and businesses. His current work is on Mastering Your Game: unlocking the hidden game of patterns to excel. With an extensive portfolio of work with CEOs, senior executives, and business founders, he has contributed to the success of organizations ranging from billion-dollar Corporate 500s to vibrant entrepreneurial startups, including notable brands such as Apple, Nvidia, Google, Visa, Oracle, LinkedIn, Wells Fargo, Autodesk, and Xero, ranked the Number 1 innovation startup. He also works with public service organizations, like the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.

For almost three decades, Dr. Feinberg served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of San Francisco School of Management. Steven guest lectured at prestigious institutions like Stanford and Cal Poly. He is the author of the highly acclaimed Amazon bestsellers, "The Advantage-Makers” and "Do What Others Say Can’t Be Done: Play The Meta-Game”

With more than 40 years of direct experience in high-pressure, high-stakes business environments. Dr. Feinberg specializes in Mastering Your Game, to excel by transforming uncertainty into opportunities for high-velocity advancement, achieving remarkable impact for both individuals and teams.