What You Need to Know About Flexible
vs Inflexible Thinking
Being flexible is such an important
thing, especially today more than ever before. This is because there seems to
be a direct relationship between flexibility and being effective in an
ever-changing, highly dynamic world.
The scientific formula or law for
this would be - the more dynamic things become and the more swiftly things
change requires an directly-related level of flexibility in order to
effectively interact with and respond to such an environment.
This also means that the more rigid
and less flexible we are, the less we will be able to survive in such a world
full of change, and the more likely our efforts will fail. Our rigidity will
collapse and break apart under the pressure.
A Strong Rigid Oak Tree or a Thin
Flexible Palm Tree Analogy
A great analogy is that perhaps in
the past, a strong oak tree could have withstood a thousand years of a more
stable environment. However, today, oak trees are more easily dying in light of
the rapid and unpredictable nature of the environment. Trees like the palm
tree, which seems more flexible, remain.
Just the same, in the face of a
hurricane, a palm tree that remains flexible and bends with the storm will
probably survive. An oak tree would just crack and crumble and be quickly
uprooted, for its
This is why, if asked in an
interview what kind of tree I would be, I would say a palm tree. A palm tree
gets to enjoy the sun and the beach, but more importantly, is flexible enough
to survive a hurricane in many cases, to survive and prosper.
These Are Useful Analogies for
Flexible Thinking - Agility
Our thinking, to survive the
constant pressure of change and dynamics of today's environment, must also be
flexible, fast, highly adaptable and resilient. All of these can perhaps be
summed up in one word - agility - the ability to be agile - which means the
ability to flex and adapt and roll with changes quickly, in order to survive
and prosper.
Therefore, seek to be flexible and
agile in your thinking and in your arrangements and organizations. Leave
options open. Avoid all-or-nothing thinking. Follow the 80-20 rule and
"general rules" Leave enough room to move, maneuver and change.
De-couple things a bit to eliminate centers of gravity and single points of
failure.
Stay flexible - for it is the key to
your survival and prosperity in today's environment, where things change
quickly. Learn the lesson from the palm tree and stop being like the old oak of
yesterday’s time, unsuited for today's environment.
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