As we’ve discussed here many times, Adaptability Intelligence is essential in today’s unpredictable environment—and not just in business, but in your personal life, too. And, the Adaptability Assessment provides a benchmark for understanding how adaptable we are in various situations, settings, and within the context of specific circumstances.
So it’s only natural for some to assume that scoring high on the 15 subdimensions is a good thing–that a high score translates to higher Adaptability.
Society has taught us to value and strive for the highest score, especially on tests. The gamification of almost everything has conditioned us to assume that the higher we score, the better that reflects on our skills and abilities.
But when it comes to interpreting the scores on the AQai Adaptability Assessment, that’s not always the case.
The 15 subdimensions of the AQai framework describe how a person responds to change. They’re not grades. They’re baselines—indicators of how someone tends to behave under pressure or in unfamiliar environments. But like any human trait, these behaviors exist on a spectrum and they’re contextual, potentially changing based on the situation or circumstances.
So, does that mean too much of a good thing could be problematic?
Just like having too little of something can be a liability, “adaptive” traits can turn maladaptive if too strong.
For example, you might know someone who’s agreeable, but so agreeable that they are often wishy-washy. Maybe they’re quick to jump on the latest fashion and tech trends or go along with the crowd to avoid FOMO. Or maybe they’re simply a pushover, bending to the will of the most recent person to exert influence.
Malleability is an important component of Adaptability, but these traits are always contextual. Without understanding the context, it is easy to misinterpret how the AQai Adaptability Quotient applies. Leaders might assume high scores always equate to strength, and low scores always signal a problem. But that’s not how Adaptability works.
Let’s take a look at what happens when “good” Adaptability traits go “bad.”
Grit: When Perseverance Leads to Burnout
Grit is often celebrated. Employees who show high grit are praised for their perseverance and passion for long-term goals. But there’s a darker side to grit—particularly when it’s taken to an extreme.
In a business setting, overly gritty employees may push through unreasonable workloads, refuse to delegate, or avoid asking for help. They might stick with failing projects too long out of a sense of obligation and desire to be seen as a hard worker. While the intent is admirable, the outcome is often not, resulting in burnout, inefficiency, and silent suffering—keeping their head down when they need to speak up the most.
Consider the case of a product manager who pushes through three failed beta tests without raising the issue to her supervisor. Her high grit drives her to “fix it herself” rather than risk appearing incapable by asking for help. The result? A six-month delay in the product launch—something that may have been avoided with earlier intervention. The tenacity that drove her not to give up created a blind spot where she could not see that the resources and time wasted, not to mention her personal burnout, were more costly than if she had regrouped with the supervisor earlier to identify other risk factors for the project.
According to the State of Workplace Burnout report (Source: The Interview Guys), the burnout crisis has reached an all-time high with 82% of employees at risk of burnout, with Gen Z and millennials reporting peak burnout at just 25 years old. Considering that burnout costs businesses some $322 billion annually (primarily in healthcare-related expenses), it’s urgent that organizations do whatever they can to avoid this crisis.
The Adaptability Assessment can help to identify these potential red flags before they become problematic—for the individual or the organization.
Resilience: When Bouncing Back Blocks Reflection
Resilience is another trait that leaders tend to view as universally positive. Resilient people recover quickly from setbacks, and that’s generally a good thing. But when taken too far, high resilience can prevent growth.
An overly resilient employee might rebound from a failed project without stopping to reflect on what went wrong. They might skip the post-mortem, chalk it up to “bad luck,” and move on too quickly. In team environments, this can hinder learning and lead to repeated mistakes. And in organizations, it can create communication gaps where leadership is kept blissfully (but dangerously) unaware of problems in processes or the chronic roadblocks their teams face.
For example, a sales director might shrug off a lost contract and jump immediately into pursuing new leads. She doesn’t stop to examine what went wrong, look for patterns in recent feedback from prospects or clients, or debrief her team on how to navigate these potential roadblocks. Eventually, the team starts losing more deals over the same issue because they haven’t learned how to adjust their approach.
The ability to bounce back is crucial, but continuing to repeat the same mistakes isn’t Adaptability. It’s the definition of insanity. Instead, identifying and reflecting on potential shortcomings is the only way to learn and grow. The AQai Adaptability Assessment can help pinpoint areas for development and provide a baseline from which to measure progress.
Growth Mindset: When Possibility Masks Limitations
A growth mindset—the belief that one can develop skills and abilities through hard work—is foundational to Adaptability. But when taken too far, it can morph into over-optimism.
Employees with an extreme growth mindset may underestimate risk, volunteer for every opportunity, or constantly try to “stretch” into roles they’re not prepared for without recognizing the need for support, training, or collaboration. This over confidence can lead to failure and frustration, especially in high-stakes situations.
Here’s one example: An enthusiastic operations manager might take on a digital transformation project because he’s eager to learn and it will be good for his career growth. But while he knows operations inside and out, he’s not well versed in IT, nor the cost and time involved in software licensing and integration. He assumes he can figure it out as he goes, but quickly realizes he’s “over his skis,” misses key cybersecurity and compliance requirements, and ends up over budget and behind schedule.
There’s no doubt a growth mindset is good, especially relative to a pessimistic one. But knowing your current capacity and limitations is essential to building Adaptability Intelligence.
Unlearning: When Letting Go Creates Instability
The ability to unlearn—to discard outdated knowledge and adapt to new ways of thinking or working—is essential in a fast-moving world. Especially in the days of AI and rapid skills change, the willingness to break from the status quo and adapt to new data and environmental factors is crucial. But in excess, it can lead to being fickle.
In the extreme, people who score high in their ability to unlearn might tend to jump to the next trend too quickly, abandon stable processes, or disregard institutional wisdom. They’re constantly looking for the next bright, shiny thing—the next innovation or revolutionary tool or technique. For organizations trying to achieve a stable balance of innovation and operational consistency, this can create confusion and chaos.
The rush to adopt AI provides a perfect example. A marketing lead might toss out a well-performing campaign strategy in favor of a flashy new AI tool. But as the team scrambles to keep up with constant changes, campaign performance drops when the disjointed approach replaces proven tactics.
The ability to unlearn and experiment—to update perceptions, knowledge and behaviors based on new data—is essential. But sometimes, being too quick to abandon proven strategies is a mistake and adapting slowly is the smarter choice.
So, What Does This Mean for HR and Leadership?
The takeaway is clear: Adaptability isn’t about having the “highest” scores. It’s about understanding your range and how you operate in context. Being adaptable means knowing when to flex in one direction—and when to pull back.
The AQai Adaptability Assessment doesn’t tell you who’s “better” at any one of the 15 sub-dimensions. It tells you where someone is right now, and where they might need support depending on the challenge at hand. It can also help you to build teams with complimentary traits to gain a more holistic perspective on navigating changes in the organization.
For leaders, this means moving beyond surface-level interpretations. It means asking:
● Could this person’s strength become a liability under pressure?
● Are they relying too heavily on a trait that once served them well?
● How can we help them find a better balance before it goes too far?
Adaptability is dynamic, and so is your team. The AQai Adaptability Assessment can help you understand what conditions your team needs to thrive, and give you a common, judgement-free language to discuss challenges and opportunities for growth. It can help you maximize your team’s potential and your “return on people” to raise the bar on performance, engagement and success.
Let’s get started today.