VOIS - Area 2 - Module 6

  1. MODULE TITLE

Module 6: Adaptability and flexibility
  1. AUTHORS

CWEP
  1. SHORT DESCRIPTION

Adaptability and flexibility are considered as examples of soft skills supporting Open Innovation. Employees who deal with the innovation process in the company should have this competency developed at a high level. The complexity and dynamic of the working environment put every employee in a situation that requires these qualities to cope with working conditions . For managers adaptability and flexibility are the must-have skills. To understand the meaning of adaptability and flexibility for managers who deal with Open Innovation you need to be aware of the conditions that influence competencies requirements. Adaptability and flexibility are necessary soft skills for dealing with new or different situations, ideas, or problems in the workplace. These competencies are important to effectively deal with innovation.
  1. LEARNING OBJECTIVES

    Upon completing this module, you should be able to:

  • Explain the link between the adaptability and flexibility of their employees and themselves and company innovativeness
  • Self-evaluate their own adaptability and flexibility
  • Describe the role of adaptability and flexibility in a competency model for Open Innovation
  • Describe the resource-based model of adaptability
  • Prepare and apply their strategy for developing adaptability and flexibility skills
  1. Training Content
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Adaptability and flexibility as a managerial skill

Source: https://pl.freepik.com/

Adaptability and flexibility are considered as important management skills. The basic tasks of managers include triggering employees’ activity, which leads to an increase in the level of innovation, and this level is still unsatisfactory. Innovations are still not seen as a way to success, the intellectual potential of employees and their creativity are not appreciated. The development of the company is dependent of the activity of employees, and this in turn is supported, triggered, or inhibited by managers

There are few reasons explaining why this happens:

  • the role of managers – they are expected to be innovators who accept changes and are creative
  • adaptability, flexibility together with productivity, are considered key dimensions of managerial effectiveness – managers who are highly adaptable and flexible tend to achieve performance more effectively,
  • a manager has to produce consistently the results and that is only possible when he or she can easily adapt and remain flexible.
Leaders who cannot adapt well are described as Flexible and adaptive leaders have knowledge that enables them to
  • Risk-averse and hesitant
  • Defensive
  • Not open to new and diverse ideas
  • Closed to feedback
  • Learn from mistakes and handle them with poise.
  • Be open to and respond well to feedback.
  • Stay composed under pressure.

Table 2. Be flexible and adaptive manager versus not be

Why is it worth being an adaptive and flexible manager?

Take 3-5 minutes and list benefits:

What benefits does the subordinate get from their supervisor when the later is adaptive and flexible?

What benefits does a senior manager acquire from the fact that a subordinate manager is adaptive and flexible?

What personal benefits can someone acquire when being adaptive and flexible? (?)

Write it down.

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