Boost your AQ: 4 ways to thrive in a changing business world

The adaptability quotient (AQ), described as a capability to navigate complexity when there is no clear playbook, is becoming increasingly vital in today’s professional life. It is the focus of a recent INTHEBLACK podcast episode with two expert guests.

Stay calm amid change

A key theme of AQ is how professionals respond when plans fall apart. Organisational psychologist Kathryn McEwan explains that “a large part of [AQ] is being able to stay calm when things do not go to plan and need to be reprioritised”. This involves “focusing on what you can control and being open to new ways of working,” she says.

Rather than abandoning structure or precision, adaptability requires flexibility in how work is approached. It means letting go of rigid routines and adjusting in real time, particularly in environments where constant change and uncertainty are the norm.

Professor Catherine Althaus, founding director of the Academy of Adaptive Leadership at UNSW Canberra, discusses practical ways to support adaptability.

She explains the importance of slowing down and observing a change or failure before “coming up with narratives about what the interpretation might be and what they might choose to do with that”.

This structured pause helps individuals and teams avoid jumping to conclusions and instead develop a more inclusive, considered response to complex challenges.

 

"As human beings, it is not change that we fear — it is loss. So, when you put change in a loss prism, that actually transforms the whole game."

 

“As human beings, it is not change that we fear — it is loss. So, when you put change in a loss prism, that actually transforms the whole game,” Althaus notes.

At the same time, leaders must recognise the emotional dimension of change. “Providing a safe container for people to assess these losses... in order to make progress, is part of disappointing people at a rate they can tolerate,” she says.

Manage reactions and discomfort

The episode also highlights common thinking traps that undermine adaptability. McEwan describes “the catastrophising anxiety where something happens, something has not gone to plan, and you quickly go from thought A to Z”.

To counter this, she suggests individuals reframe by asking: “what is the worst-case scenario, the best-case scenario and the most likely scenario here?”

Creating the right environment is equally as important as self-reflection. “Psychological safety is really, really critical,” says McEwan, emphasising the need for workplaces where people can be creative, take risks and fail without fear.

Practise adaptability

Adaptability requires embracing discomfort. Althaus suggests one approach to becoming comfortable with “disequilibrium” (the opposite of adaptability): “Come up with some everyday routines that you have and swap or change them to give them a bit more energy or creativity, so you are practising self-imposed ‘disruption’ before it is required”.