“Be self-aware, have an open mind and trust your instincts”

Adaptability is one of the buzzwords of our age. Whether you’re a middle manager or senior leader, you’re encouraged to be adaptable and agile, to tune your behaviour and approach to the specific circumstances that you face. CMI’s Professional Standard puts a challenge to managers that they should “adapt your ways of working to meet the needs of individuals and the organisation, ensuring team cohesion and the fair and consistent treatment of all.”

• It’s the skill of the moment: why adaptability is in high demand

That’s a tough call – especially in a world where your circumstances may change all the time, and so rapidly. And how do you adapt your management behaviour and approach when everyone around you has a different set of expectations?

Watch: Communicating Strategically Through Change 

To understand what adaptive working looks like in practice, we spoke to Damion Briscoe, a board-level leader who’s worked in technical, engineering and project management roles in every corner of the world.