Shifting from ‘strategic thinking’ to ‘strategic adaptability’

Who hasn’t worked on developing year campaign for strengthening the company’s reputation? Whether you represent a PR agency or are a communicator by profession, making plans is an essential part of the job. This involves critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making.

What happens if mid-way through the campaign you realise that the message is not resonating with the audience? That there is no social media engagement in your campaign? If you are able to pivot to a new strategy based on the feedback and data received, then, you are strategically adaptable.

Strategic Thinking vs. Strategic Adaptability: Two Sides of the Same Coin

While closely related, strategic thinking and strategic adaptability are not exactly the same. Think of it this way:

• Strategic thinking is the foundation. It’s the ability to analyse situations, anticipate trends, and formulate plans to achieve long-term goals. It’s about understanding the “why” behind what you do.
• Strategic adaptability is the execution. It’s the ability to adjust those plans in response to unexpected changes or new information. It’s about being flexible and agile in the face of the unknown.

A strategic thinker can develop a brilliant plan, but without adaptability, that plan may crumble when reality throws a curveball. Similarly, someone who’s highly adaptable but lacks strategic thinking might be excellent at reacting to immediate situations but may miss the bigger picture and long-term consequences. In essence, strategic thinking is about creating the map, while strategic adaptability is about navigating the terrain, even when the map changes.

Why the Skill Gap Exists

The gap in strategic adaptability among corporate communicators could be due to the following reasons:

• Traditional Focus: Historically, communication roles have often been more tactical, focusing on execution rather than strategy. This has led to a perception of communicators as message deliverers rather than strategic advisors.
• Comfort with the Status Quo:Many professionals, including corporate communicators, become comfortable with established processes and routines. They may resist change because it requires stepping into the unknown, taking risks, and embracing uncertainty. This resistance is often compounded by organisational cultures that reward consistency over innovation.
• Lack of Exposure to Ambiguity: Strategic adaptability thrives in environments where individuals are exposed to ambiguity and complexity. However, traditional career paths often silo professionals into specific roles, limiting their exposure to cross-functional challenges or disruptive scenarios. Without practice, the skill atrophies.
• Fear of Failure: Adaptability requires experimentation, and experimentation inevitably involves failure. In many cultures and organisations, failure is stigmatised rather than seen as a learning opportunity. This fear of failure discourages individuals from taking the risks necessary to develop adaptability.

Honing Your Strategic Adaptability Skill

If you have followed the journey of Aadhar, you will find a great example in how Nandan Nilekani used his strategic adaptability skills to bring a fresh perspective to the project. Nilekani had inherited a project that was struggling to gain traction, with slow enrolment rates and limited public trust. What did he do then? He focused on building partnerships with state governments, private companies, and NGOs to scale enrolment. He also prioritised transparency and communication, using data-driven insights to demonstrate the benefits of Aadhaar, such as reduced fraud in welfare programs and increased access to banking services. Nilekani’s ability to anticipate challenges, adapt his strategies, and communicate effectively was instrumental in Aadhaar’s success.

Strategic adaptability opens doors to leadership roles and higher-impact projects. On the personal front, it builds confidence, resilience, and a sense of purpose. The key element in honing this is to shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. This calls for curiosity, courage, and commitment. Reflect on your experiences, identify what worked, and apply those lessons to new challenges.

Like any other skill, strategic adaptability can be developed with practice and intention.

The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.

Sarita Bahl

Sarita Bahl is an alumnus of Tata Institute of Social Sciences and the Swedish Institute of Management Program. An experienced and versatile leader, she comes with nearly four decades of professional experience. She has over the years successfully overseen the communications and public affairs function and led the corporate social responsibility strategy for Bayer South Asia, Pfizer, and Monsanto, among others. Sarita has held multiple roles across diverse industries, the public sector, trade associations, MNCs, and the not-for-profit sector. Her areas of interest include advocacy, stakeholder engagement, sustainability, and communications.

As an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) from the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and Senior Practitioner (Mentoring) from the European Council of Mentoring and Coaching (EMCC), Sarita specializes in career transition, inner engineering and life issues. Sarita enjoys writing and is passionate about animals, books, and movies.