The Stage Has Been Set
Has anyone else noticed the rapid-fire rate of change predominating in our world today? Even the rate of change is increasing and change has been described as exponential for the first time in human history. Within Veterinary medicine itself, practice models are evolving, technologies are advancing, diagnostics and therapeutics are becoming more sophisticated, telemedicine is trending, client expectations are shifting, economic challenges are prominent, laws are being challenged and modified, answers to Veterinary shortages are being debated, and artificial intelligence is being explored for its solutions and risks. Even professional organizations and their leaders are challenged to achieve harmony as they strive to be effective advocates for their membership in a world that seems to favor acrimony. Arguably, one unintended consequence is that the Veterinary profession is facing an epidemic of stress and anxiety that demands viable solutions.
We Must Meet Change Effectively
Traditionally, technical knowledge and clinical skills have been seen as the hallmarks of a successful veterinarian. However, as the profession faces increasing complexity that demands appropriate evolution, another trait is emerging as equally important, if not more important – the adaptability quotient (AQ). The AQ refers to an individual’s ability to adjust quickly to new conditions, learn from novel experiences, and thrive in the face of change. High AQ is now recognized as a powerful driver of success, enabling individuals to navigate challenges, seize opportunities, and deliver better outcomes for their patients, clients, businesses, and themselves. High AQ has the potential to contribute favorably to recruitment and retention of high-performing Veterinary health teams across generations. High AQ has been shown to increase resilience, decrease burnout, and increase job satisfaction, job performance, and even life satisfaction. AQ is gaining recognition as a decisive factor in navigating change, overcoming challenges, and thriving in an exponentially changing world.
Understanding the Adaptability Quotient (AQ)
References to the power of adaptability are not new. Charles Darwin identified adaptability as the key to survival. He went on to propose that the most successful are those that can best adjust to change, rather than the strongest or most intelligent. The AQ is a measure of how well an individual or organization can cope with uncertainty and adjust effectively to change, ideally in real time. Studies have demonstrated that higher levels of adaptability are associated with higher levels of learning ability, better performance, more confidence, and greater creative output. Individuals with high AQ have been shown to maintain deliberate calm under pressure and display curiosity amid change. They are more likely to be high-performers and leaders. Conversely, low AQ has been shown to be correlated with academic burnout. Studies in the business world beyond Veterinary medicine have shown that high AQ has been directly correlated with success, including better financial outcomes. Adaptable individuals often report higher levels of satisfaction, lower stress, and a greater sense of control over their destiny. They are valuable assets to any organization.
High AQ individuals are better able to:
- Learn new skills and processes efficiently
- Innovate and contribute creative solutions
- Lead and influence others during times of change
- Build resilience against setbacks and failures
We are accustomed to referring to quotients as forecasters of success. Both intelligence quotient (IQ) and emotional quotient (EQ) have long been cited as useful predictors of performance, with EQ contributing more than IQ. The AQ has received more attention lately and has been described as trumping both IQ and EQ as an indicator of success. The ideal model is when AQ, EQ, and IQ are all high.
How High AQ Can Enhance Veterinary Success
- Creating a Veterinary healthcare team that provides better more efficient care through openness to learning and integrating new technologies into practice
- Approaching each case with flexibility and the ability to pivot among cases and challenges of the day
- Reducing stress, anxiety, and burnout among Veterinary healthcare professionals
- Meeting clients where they are and adapting to their changing expectations for greater involvement and transparency in their animals’ care.
- Adapting communication styles to suit different clients, building trust and fostering lasting relationships.
- Leveraging rapid technological innovations effectively.
- Embracing New Technologies
- Incorporating telemedicine effectively to benefit the patient, client, veterinarian, and practice
- Implementing and leveraging AI for greatest benefit and least risk
- Navigating regulatory and industry changes to adjust their practices promptly in response to new laws, guidelines, and best practices, ensuring compliance and safeguarding their professional reputation.
- Continuous Learning and Professional Growth
- Developing lifelong learners who seek out new knowledge, pursue continuing education, and are open to feedback.
- Developing future innovative leaders to benefit the practice, the profession, and animals.
What Are Some Characteristics of Individuals with High AQ?
There are numerous positive characteristics related to high AQ, Included are curiosity, resourcefulness, flexibility, resilience, creativity, innovativeness, and open-mindedness. Typically, they are good problem solvers. They think ahead about potential problems and prepare proactively for them. They see failure as a growth opportunity, not a “death sentence,” and view stressors as mere challenges, not threats. They have a fundamental understanding that the way we work today will not be the way we work tomorrow, so they accept change as a reality of life.
What Are Some Characteristics of Businesses with High AQ?
Businesses with high AQ anticipate disruption, using it as a catalyst for growth and innovation. They are able to quickly adjust strategies, operations, and even products to thrive, not just survive, in a changing world. They tend to recruit and retain high AQ teams and then decentralize decision-making for more efficient and effective response to change. They invest in training, developing, and reskilling their teams to ensure they are keeping up. They resist locking into to “legacy anything,” such as technology and systems. They create a culture of innovation, continuous learning, and experimentation. They view failure as a learning opportunity and may even reward failure as an indicator of experimenting for innovation. They are laser focused on their clients to best understand their changing preferences and best provide personalized care. Businesses with high AQ are more likely to understand and value AQ, provide adaptability training within their organizations, and incorporate adaptability assessments into their hiring processes.
Building and Measuring Adaptability Quotient
While some aspects of adaptability are innate, AQ can be cultivated through deliberate practice. Strategies for building AQ include intentionally exposing oneself to new experiences, seeking mentorship, participating in professional development opportunities, and reflecting on past challenges to extract lessons. Tools and assessments are also available to help veterinarians measure and improve their AQ, enabling them to identify areas for growth and track progress over time.
The Good News: AQ Can be Learned, Improved, Measured, and Tested
Formal training programs offered by specialized companies and educational institutions are available for individuals, teams, and organizations. A recognized leader in the field is Dr. Amin Toufani, who created Adaptability University, AQai. AQai offers a certification program in its Adaptability Intelligence Model. Additionally, there are executive and leadership programs. There are also online, self-paced courses offered by Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, Thinka, and MasterStart. For those not able to participate in formal courses, other options are available to improve AQ. There are resources online for becoming more familiar with AQ. Veterinary practices can provide AQ topics for themselves, such as within “lunch and learns.” The leadership can create a culture of adaptability, model adaptability, and reinforce the culture in actions and the written and spoken word. AQ can be incorporated into hiring and annual performance evaluations. High AQ can be rewarded.
How Are Adaptability and Resilience Different?
Basically, adaptability is the ability to be comfortable with change, to change readily with new circumstances, and adjust to new conditions. Adaptability is about thriving amidst change. Resilience is the capacity to recover after adversity, hardship, or challenge. Resilience is about surviving difficulty. They are distinct but complementary skills.
Conclusion
In an era marked by rapid change and uncertainty, high AQ is a critical asset for veterinarians, the Veterinary healthcare team, the practice, educational institutions, and all Veterinary organizations. It empowers them to embrace innovation, manage diverse challenges, communicate effectively, and grow professionally. One of the notable strengths of the Veterinary profession is its relevance. Remaining relevant is our responsibility and to maintain and grow our relevance, individuals, teams, practices, educational institutions, and Veterinary organizations must be adaptable, striving to achieve and maintain high AQ. As the Veterinary profession continues to evolve, those with high AQ will be best positioned to thrive and lead the way forward. AQ is gaining recognition as a decisive factor in navigating change, overcoming challenges, and thriving in an exponentially changing world. And I wonder – could achieving high AQ be one answer for better mental health and well-being?
EXAMPLE REFERENCES:
Diemler, M. R. (2011). Adaptability: The new competitive advantage. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2011/07/adaptability-the-new-competitive-advantage
Green EM: Adaptability: The New Core Competency for Success (Adapt or Die) AAEP Proceedings. Vol 69, 2023.
Fraser, R. (2019). Why you should care about career adaptability. The Undercover Recruiter. Retrieved from http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/care-careeer-adaptability
Fratto, N. (n.d.). 3 ways to measure your adaptability – and how to improve it. Retrieved May 2020, from https://www.ted.com/talks/natalie_fratto_3_ways_to_measure_your_adaptability_and_how_to_improve_it/transcript
O’Reilly, B. (2018). Unlearn: Let go of past success to achieve extraordinary results. McGraw-Hill Education. doi:ISBN 978-1260143010
H. (2022). Adaptability quotient. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29298562