In this episode, hosts Merv Jersak and Tim Jerome explore the critical trait of adaptability in project management. They discuss how being adaptable enhances problem-solving capabilities, fosters creativity, and helps teams navigate changing environments. Additional insights cover how adaptability brings innovation, better collaboration, and increased job satisfaction within the team. The discussion also touches on the importance of breaking work into smaller tasks for continuous rewards and improvement. Tune in to learn key strategies to improve your project's delivery and foster an adaptable and resilient team.

Main Take-Aways

Adaptability is a key trait that the project leader must develop for continuous improvement and ongoing success:

• a working definition of adaptability
• benefits of adaptability for team performance
• embracing change and changing your behavior to respond
• developing a mindset of embracing change
• mini rewards as you adapt to change
• adaptability leading to greater innovation, creativity, and performance improvement
• mentorship to foster adaptability
• practicing adaptability
• looking for positive change and adapting to the opportunities presented

Show Notes

Today’s Project Managers Coffee Chat: Adaptability, an Indispensable Tool for the Project Leader

 00:27 Introducing today’s podcast topic focusing on adaptability in project leadership and defining the term adaptability for context for this episode.

01:27 Benefits of adaptability in helping project teams perform:

01:47     … improved problem-solving capabilities, continuous improvement

02:15     … thinking beyond the status quo

03:45     … stronger sense of collaboration and improved communication

04:19      … taking advantage of your hard wiring in your brain to increase satisfaction

05:52     … a feeling of autonomy, ownership of your work, empowerment

08:09 Embracing change and continuous improvement by looking to change your behavior in circumstances.

09:57 Developing a mindset of embracing and welcoming change to improve your performance.

11:14 Giving yourself mini rewards along the path of adapting to change.

12:44 Adaptability leads to greater innovation and creativity, and to improvement of current task work.

14:53 Being mentors to our teams and stakeholders for increased adaptability across the entire project.

16:05 Practice being adaptable for greater confidence and better decision making.

17:12 Being adaptable requires that you are also tuned to changes that offer opportunities; change is not always negative for the project.