🎙️17. The Power of Adaptability and Agility

In Today's Episode (#17) of Fearless Thinking, Michael Devous Breaks Down the Power of Adaptability and Agility
Are you ready to ditch the struggle and embrace the ride? In this episode of Fearless Thinking, Michael Devous throws open the door to the powerhouse of adaptability and agility. Learn how to transform from feeling stuck to thriving in a world that thrives on change.

This episode isn't just about reacting to curveballs – it's about anticipating them and seizing the opportunities they bring. Michael equips you with actionable strategies to cultivate a growth mindset, conquer the fear of the unknown, and build a resilient, adaptable leadership style.

Here's what will leave you feeling empowered:

• Uncover the hidden connection between adaptability and explosive success.
• Shift your perspective on change: See it as a launchpad for innovation, not a roadblock.
• Develop a growth mindset toolbox – learn the secrets to staying curious and embracing continuous learning.
• Craft a culture of agility in your team or business – foster open communication, experimentation, and a shared love of learning.
• Discover the difference between reacting and anticipating change. Learn how to stay ahead of the curve and capitalize on new trends.

This episode is packed with actionable takeaways you can use today:

• Silence the fear of change: Reframe your thinking and see new possibilities.
• Become a lifelong learner: Curiosity is your key to unlocking endless potential.
• Gather intel from all angles: Feedback from customers, teams, and even your environment fuels smarter decision-making.
• Embrace the test-and-learn cycle: Don't be afraid to experiment and iterate – growth comes from taking action.
• Empower your team: Foster a space for open communication and shared learning – together you'll be unstoppable.

Inspiring Quotes:

• "The greatest opportunities often lie just within the unexpected changes that are coming." - Michael Devous
• Failing to be adaptable is like a rigid tree. It may be strong, but ultimately it will break. Resilient entrepreneurs are like the willow tree. They bend with the wind and emerge stronger on the other side." - Michael Devous

Excellent Reference Material:

• Book: "Crucial Conversations" by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler (Learn how to navigate difficult conversations with active listening)
• Article: "The Power of Active Listening" by Harvard Business Review (Discover the benefits of active listening in the workplace)
• Website: "Center for Creative Leadership" (https://www.ccl.org/) (Explore resources for developing leadership skills, including active listening)

Transcript

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Hey there everybody. 

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And welcome to fearless thinking, a 

podcast designed to help you navigate 

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authentic leadership and the 

entrepreneurial journey. 

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I'm your host, Michael dove. 

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And these are my thoughts, lessons and 

insights from my entrepreneurial 

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journey into coaching workshops, 

motivational speaking. 

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And of course, what I picked up from 

interviews with inspiring leaders and 

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entrepreneurs along the way.

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My mission is to help people unlock 

their untapped potential by using fear 

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as a catalyst for powerful change and 

growth,

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so they can step into the greatest 

version of their most authentic selves.

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All right, let's get in to see fearless 

thinking.

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Hey, we'll come back. 

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Fearless thinkers. 

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I'm your host, Michael de v. 

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This is episode seventeen

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ah Wednesday,

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the agile advantage, adapting to change 

and growth. 

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You know, we talked about

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curiosity

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yesterday. 

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And if you're going to be curious,

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are you going to get out there and 

we're going to tackle new things and 

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stuff? 

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You know, you have to adapt

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to change in growth. 

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And one of the things

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I talked about,

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and yesterday's episode was, you know, 

we are built to learn.

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But I also mentioned something about 

our cells dying how many cells die

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every,

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I don't know, twenty minutes, or 

something like that.

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It's a ridiculous number

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Like it's like billions, I think, I 

think I said 300, some odd million.

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I think it's actually billion cells

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that die and get reborn and remade. 

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So not only are we built to learn,

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we are human change machines.

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We are built

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to adapt, adopt and change and grow. 

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That is what we do from the moment

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we are conceived.

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Our bodies are constantly growing and 

changing,

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right?

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So today's episode tackles

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adaptability and agility.

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Now this is, you know,

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when you get out onto the road of life 

and you'd start tackling 

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entrepreneurship things,

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learning how to be adaptable and be 

agile comes from some rough moments, 

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some challenges that we have to face. 

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The business landscape is always 

evolving, as our personal and 

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professional growth landscape is also 

always evolving. 

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And you know,

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our customers needs change all the 

time. 

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Technology disrupts, the industries, 

and unexpected events can shake things 

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up for us. 

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So the key, this success, to surviving 

and thir thriving in that kind of 

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environment, really, is being flexible 

and adaptable and adjusting your 

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approach to navigate these changes.

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And thrive in uncertainty,

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right?

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So let's talk about, what

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if you're rigid and you can't adapt? 

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If you're

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too stiff and you can't? 

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You know what happens to a rigid tree 

and a strong wind? 

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It snaps,

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right? 

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That's why the reed is so powerful. 

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Will shift our perspective a little 

bit. 

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And think about, you know, failing to 

be adaptable is like that rigid tree. 

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You know, it can be strong, but it's 

unable to bend. 

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And ultimately it will break.

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And you don't want to get to that 

ultimate moment. 

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You want to be resilient. 

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Resilient entrepreneurs are like the 

willow tree. 

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Instead, they bend with the wind. 

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They emerge out on the other side. 

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Stronger.

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Right

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now, imagine, if you will,

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let's just play in our minds, trees 

swaying beautifully in the wind, and 

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branches adapting to the conditions of 

the wind and stuff. 

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actually allows us to stay ahead of the 

curve and Embrace all these new opportunities.

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You know, what's more beautiful than a 

beautiful willow tree blowing in the 

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wind. 

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Why? 

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Why is that movement and that

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motion and that energy attractive to us?

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That ability to be flexible and 

adaptable is an attractive quality, 

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right? 

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I think it's good for us,

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you know, and it allows you to not only 

Embrace those new opportunities, but 

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adjust your business model, high 

iterative technology, iterative 

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thinking to meet evolving customer 

needs and market demands.

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So, fear of change,

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which is typically what stops us from 

being adaptable and flexible,

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of, I've always done it this way, 

tradition, which can actually hold us 

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back from embracing

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our adaptability.

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You know, we should reframe that 

thinking. 

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I encourage you to look at it. 

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Look at it as is, traditions are good. 

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And having done things

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the entire time, you know, that doesn't 

work all the time. 

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Always be open to opportunities for 

change.

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We have to reframe our fear of what 

could happen if we don't change. 

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I mean, what could happen if we do 

change? 

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Into what can happen if we don't

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change? 

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Right?

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Fear as an opportunity to foster a 

culture of innovation

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by being able to adapt and be agile, 

learning from new perspectives and 

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capitalizing on the unexpected 

opportunities that arise and come as a 

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result of being flexible.

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So here's some key tips to overcoming 

those fears. 

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If they start creeping up and coming up 

for you to be more adaptable.

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Embrace continuous learning.

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Hello. 

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What did I say yesterday? 

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We are humans, and we're built to 

learn. 

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That's what we do all the time. 

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Develop a growth mindset, right? 

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This big, big, big thing everybody's 

always talking about is a growth 

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mindset. 

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And that really means something to stay 

informed about, not only the industry 

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trends and technologies and customer 

preferences, but

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outside of your business model. 

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In other areas of business,

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maybe you get curious and you find out, 

and you learn trends and other spaces 

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that might help give you a new 

perspective on what is happening in 

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your own current

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industry,

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gathering customer feedback,

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which is only one part of it. 

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You need feedback from everyone, your 

team, your customer, your environment,

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your coworkers, your Co, your peer 

groups,

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even family and friends. 

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Getting feedback constantly, and making 

sure that you always got a finger on 

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the pulse of what's happening out there

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helps you understand the evolving needs 

and adapt of your world around you. 

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But you can also offer them solutions 

you might not have thought of before. 

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When you keep your finger on that pulse 

of getting constant feedback and you 

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can empower your team,

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you know, creating a culture where 

innovation is always encouraged, and 

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team members feel empowered to not only 

propose their new ideas or approaches, 

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but share them and have an open 

dialogue about them

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that's being flexible and adaptable. 

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Because you don't, there could be 

incredible things coming up when you 

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offer that space to them. 

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And you really encourage them to get 

curious,

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to talk about these things and share 

these ideas, right? 

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And if you're flexible, and you show 

that that's a value that you have, you 

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can help your team also adopt, adapt 

and adopt being flexible,

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because I think that's important and 

valuable for them as well. 

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And then experimentation

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and iteration.

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I keep throwing that word out there all 

the time. 

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Iterate. 

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Iterate. 

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Iterate. 

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We are in an iterative technology

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Era.

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That's what we've learned. 

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Everything's iterative. 

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Everything is ready to change and ready 

to hear your feedback and make 

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adjustments based on the customer's 

demand. 

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So don't be afraid to experiment with 

new strategies and iterates based on 

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the result that you get. 

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Embrace that test and learn mentality. 

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I think that could be 100 beneficial.

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Now,

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how adaptability and agility can 

benefit aspiring

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and current entrepreneurs.

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As I mentioned before, stane had up the 

curve.

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We are aware, you are aware that 

everything's changing all the time. 

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Every year, eighteen months, eighteen 

months, usually about now, I think it's 

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got Shorter. 

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But every eighteen months

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we are,

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any shift

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from our technology stacks and our 

processes and our protocols, you name 

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it. 

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Things are shifting. 

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But you can stay ahead of the curve by 

being adaptable.

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You can excuse me,

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you can identify and capitalize on new 

trends that are out there and take 

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advantage of those opportunities, right 

before your competitors get on to them.

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And you can have increased resilience. 

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The ability to adapt

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and adopt

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new ideas and be flexible allows you to 

overcome challenges and disruptions 

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with Greater ease. 

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And it maintain your competitive edge. 

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You know, this makes you smooth.

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Things

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too adaptable and adaptable.

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Or you're not adoptable. 

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Maybe you are acute and adaptable.

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This idea around resilience and 

adaptability

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increases

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value for diverse ideas.

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A culture that embraces adaptation,

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encourages diverse perspectives and 

solutions, leads to more innovation and 

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inclusive approaches across the board 

behind a percent. 

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And you get to build a learning 

organization, not just an organization 

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that produces something that creates a 

service, but its internal operation as 

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a learning organization, fostering an 

environment of continuous learning and experimentation,

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where everyone gets a chance to 

contribute to the agile mindset of the 

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whole organization.

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So, adaptability, it isn't just 

reacting to change. 

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It's actually about anticipating

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change and embracing these new ideas, 

introducing new concepts and ways of 

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moving forward, constantly learning and 

evolving.

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By developing an agile mindset, you 

create a company environment,

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in an organizational environment that 

can weather any storm

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it comes along. 

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You can seize these new opportunities 

that are on your path

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and be more successful.

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That's kind of neat, it's kind of cool. 

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So, yeah, adaptability,

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agile, agile and adaptability.

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I like it. 

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Resilience and flexibility.

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You know, thanks for joining us. 

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Another episode of fearless thinking.

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Um,

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remember, the greatest opportunities

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often lie

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just within the unexpected changes that 

are coming.

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That's where it is. 

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00:10:19,619 --> 00:10:21,221

That's the curious part, like, get in 

there. 

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00:10:21,688 --> 00:10:22,589

No it. 

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00:10:22,589 --> 00:10:23,823

If it's coming up for you

236

00:10:24,190 --> 00:10:26,526

and you're being asked be agile and 

resilient. 

237

00:10:27,60 --> 00:10:29,462

I mean, there's something inside, 

there's something inside that change 

238

00:10:29,529 --> 00:10:30,497

that you need to know about. 

239

00:10:30,597 --> 00:10:35,535

And the universe has brought it to you 

because it knows you can manage it, you 

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00:10:35,535 --> 00:10:36,169

can adapt.

241

00:10:36,436 --> 00:10:37,704

So keep leading, keep learning. 

242

00:10:38,171 --> 00:10:39,539

Ah, keep adapting to thrive.

243

00:10:40,573 --> 00:10:43,543

An ever evolving world is a better 

world for all of us. 

244

00:10:43,610 --> 00:10:44,477

And it will be back

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00:10:45,78 --> 00:10:46,579

next with more tips and tricks. 

246

00:10:46,813 --> 00:10:48,114

I'm fairly thinking on your

247

00:10:50,517 --> 00:10:50,817

massy,

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00:10:51,851 --> 00:10:52,819

transformative, entrepreneurial

249

00:10:54,187 --> 00:10:54,354

journey. 

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00:10:54,587 --> 00:10:54,988

My friends. 

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00:10:55,155 --> 00:10:55,622

Get out there. 

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00:10:55,855 --> 00:10:57,123

Thump day, I think, yeah,

253

00:10:58,425 --> 00:11:02,262

middle of the week, baby, get out 

there, do some fearless thing, and I 

254

00:11:02,262 --> 00:11:04,30

will see you on the other side. 

255

00:11:04,497 --> 00:11:05,432

Ok?