A Student of Leadership - Where Great Leaders are Made, One Habit at a Time!

Hello, and welcome to A Student of Leadership. The podcast that uncovers the secrets of exceptional leaders. Join host Rob Adams as he explores the critical habits and practices that define leadership greatness. One transformative episode at a time. From cultivating a compelling vision to embodying courage, empathy, accountability, and resilience.

You'll gain the tools and insights to elevate your leadership impact no matter where you are on your journey. Whether you're a seasoned executive or stepping into your first leadership role, each conversation will inspire and equip you to become the leader you were always meant to be. Let's dive in.

Hello, everyone, and welcome back to A Student of Leadership. I'm Rob Adams, your host, and this is where great leaders are made one habit at a time. Before we jump into this week's episode, I just wanna share a couple thoughts with you. Look, I'm not a professional podcaster, but what I am is just like you, I'm learning, I'm a student of leadership, and I've been on this journey my entire career, thirty plus years now, as a leader of multiple levels, trying to continue to educate myself on how to be the best possible coach and leader to the teams that I've had the pleasure and honor and opportunity to connect with over my entire leadership career. I shared with you when I first started my journey and all the stumbling blocks that I went through, and I was surely more a manager than I was a leader.

And even today, I'm still working on my trade, working on my skills, trying to upskill myself to be the best I can possibly be. And I created this podcast maybe a little selfishly because it helped me get into content and remind myself and become even more self aware in this journey as a student of leadership. So I am so grateful and so thankful that you're with me on this journey, learning together and connecting the dots between these very powerful words and how they absolutely directly connect back to the word and the definition of leadership. So I thank you for joining me. And if you enjoy these sessions, if you enjoy these mini podcasts or micro podcasts as I call them, because I make them short in duration for a reason.

I know time is never on our side. I realize that none of us have a great attention span today. So just give it to me and give it to me now. And that's really what we're trying to do here. We want to share stories.

We want to share quotes that are relevant to the topic and word that we're talking about. And then we want to provide you actionable things that you can actually apply tomorrow with your team, with yourself, on your own journey as a student of leadership. So with all that said, I wanted to take a few minutes and share my personal thoughts with you. And now let's dive in to our next critical leadership skill. That's around a rapidly changing world that's so important, and that is the word adaptability.

You see, adaptability is the ability to adjust your approach and strategies in response to change, uncertainty, and new information that you may have. It's what enables leaders to stay effective even when the road ahead is unpredictable. In a world that evolves faster than ever, adaptability is no longer optional. It's essential. In today's episode, we will explore what it means to lead with adaptability.

We're going to share, of course, a powerful story of resilience and provide actionable steps to build flexibility into your leadership style. Now one of the most striking examples of adaptability in leadership is Mary Barra, the CEO of General Motors. When Barra took over as CEO, she faced the challenge of steering GM through a rapidly evolving automotive industry, including the rise of electric vehicles and autonomous driving technology. Barra's approach and adaptability wasn't just about reacting to change, it was about actively shaping the future. Her consistent focus on innovation, bold decision making, and willingness to change the status quo became defining features of her leadership style.

By embodying adaptability at every turn, she not only kept GM competitive, but also transformed the company into a trailblazer in the industry. Rather than clinging to the company's traditional strengths, Barra embraced change. She pivoted GM's focus toward innovation, announcing bold plans to phase out gas powered vehicles by 02/1935, and investing heavily in EV technology. Her adaptability not only kept GM competitive, but also positioned the company as a leader in sustainable mobility. Barra's story reminds us that adaptability is about more than reacting to change.

It's about proactively shaping the future. Charles Darwin said it best, It's not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most adaptable to change. This timeless insight applies to leadership as well. Success lies in the ability to evolve with the circumstances. Across sectors and situations, leaders who consistently embrace change, seek out new opportunities, and adjust their strategies tend to create the most resilient and successful organizations.

Now let's reflect on the following ideas. How do you typically respond to unexpected changes or challenges? What strategies have you developed to remain flexible in your leadership approach? And how can you model adaptability to encourage your team to embrace change? In a 02/2020 Deloitte study titled the adaptable organization, researchers found that organizations led by adaptable leaders are 4.6 times more likely to outperform their peers.

These leaders create cultures of agility and innovation, empowering their teams to respond to challenges with confidence and creativity. Now three here are three ways to strengthen your adaptability as a leader. Number one, stay open to feedback. Listen to your team and stakeholders to gather diverse perspectives. Use this input to refine your strategies and make more informed decisions.

Number two, embrace experimentation. Treat challenges as opportunities to test new ideas. If something isn't working, be willing to pivot and view failures as learning experiences. Number three, cultivate a growth mindset. Focus on continuous learning and development.

Stay curious about trends and innovations in your industry, and be ready to adjust your approach as new opportunities arise. Remember, adaptability isn't about a one time reaction to change. It's about consistently cultivating a flexible and growth oriented mindset. By regularly seeking feedback, embracing experimentation, and prioritizing continuous learning, you develop an adaptable leadership style that becomes second nature over time. Now, your action challenge for this week is to identify one area in your leadership where adaptability is needed.

Take a proactive step to adjust your approach, whether it's trying a new strategy, seeking feedback, or embracing a new perspective. Reflect on how this shifts impacts your leadership effectiveness. Adaptability is what allows leaders to thrive in the face of uncertainty. By staying flexible and open to your change, you can lead your team with confidence and resilience. As you work on this week's action challenge, remember that every adjustment you make strengthens your leadership foundation.

And adaptability, like all of the leadership habits we've explored to date, is a skill that can be honed and strengthened with practice. By consistently choosing to lead with flexibility, openness, and resilience, you're not just preparing yourself for uncertainty, You're empowering your team to thrive in the face of change and positioning your organization for long term success. Next week, we'll explore confidence, how to build self assurance as a leader and inspire it in those you lead. Until then, keep practicing the habits that make great leaders, and remember, great leaders are made one habit at a time. See you next time on A Student of Leadership.

Take care, everyone.

Thanks for tuning in to this episode of A Student of Leadership. If you liked what you heard, then be sure to subscribe and share with like minded people. Have a burning question for Rob or a topic you'd love him to discuss on the show? Get in touch on socials. We'd love to hear from you.

We'll see you next time. And remember, great leaders are made one habit at a time.