Adapting to Workplace Challenges

In 2011, my wife and I found ourselves in a unique position at Fort Polk, LA. As newly licensed clinical psychologists and newlyweds, we were the only active-duty psychologists on a base of 10,000+ soldiers. In addition, I would be deploying in the coming months to Afghanistan with an infantry combat brigade. Reflecting on these experiences after 10+ years in business, I realize how closely combat challenges mirror everyday workplace pressures. Here are a few things I learned in combat, and then applied to business. 1) Overcoming Imposter Syndrome Experience: In Afghanistan, I often grappled with feelings of being an imposter. Freshly licensed and tasked with the mental health care of thousands of soldiers, I constantly questioned myself: "Who am I to shoulder this responsibility? Am I truly the right person for this job?" This sense of doubt isn't unique to combat zones—it's also prevalent in the business world, where fears like "What if they discover I'm not who they think I am?" loom large. How should we tackle these concerns? ✅ Do: Seek Constructive Feedback - Actively solicit feedback, especially about behaviors and impact, to anchor your self-assessment in reality, not impostor fears. ❌ Don't: Compare Yourself to Others - Stop tallying your achievements against others; it fuels doubts and derails personal progress. 2) Managing Unpredictability Experience: In Afghanistan, situations changed abruptly, requiring me to adapt on the fly. For example, a team was in a shootout in a bazaar in the local town and now the company commander wants the psychologist to travel by convoy to assist with his debrief; what do you do? This unpredictability isn't just a military challenge—it mirrors the dynamic nature of the business world where flexibility is key to survival. How can we better handle such changes? ✅ Do: Stay Flexible - Being "Open to Experience" is a key personality trait that can be utilized effectively. Embrace change by staying open to new methods and solutions. ❌ Don't: Resist Change - Avoid sticking rigidly to old ways when new situations arise; this can hinder progress and adaptation. 3) Dealing with High Stakes Experience: High-risk situations required meticulous risk evaluation. Many times, I questioned whether exposing myself to physical risk was worth the potential consequences for myself and my family, as well as for the brigade, given that I was the sole psychologist for 4,000 soldiers. Similarly, in business, high stakes involve significant risks that can affect the entire company. ✅ Do: Risk Assessment - Regularly evaluate potential risks and their impacts. ❌ Don't: Neglect Planning - Skipping thorough planning and feedback can lead to unmitigated risks and failures. We took this picture in the airport, our first reunion in over 10 months since I had left for Afghanistan 

This was my most unexpected test of resilience at work. Change is inevitable, but adaptability is a choice. Last year, our entire marketing strategy pivoted overnight due to unforeseen market shifts. Here's how I navigated this seismic change: 1/ Quick learning: I immersed myself in the new tools and strategies that aligned with our revised goals. 2/ Open communication: I kept the lines open with my team, ensuring everyone was onboard and aligned with the new direction. 3/ Feedback loops: Implemented regular feedback sessions to quickly identify what was working and what wasn’t, allowing us to iterate rapidly. This experience taught me that flexibility isn’t just about surviving, it’s about thriving through change. I realized that the ability to adapt quickly is as crucial as any hard skill in my career toolkit. How have you adapted to significant changes in your work environment? Share your stories, I’d love to hear how you’ve turned challenges into opportunities! #adaptability #change #learn #opportunity

💡 63 percent of employees are struggling with less than ideal mental health right now. Even more startling? Only 13 percent feel comfortable speaking up. The rest of us mask up and push forward, hoping no one notices. But it leaks out. In shorter patience with change. In strained conversations with peers and managers. In ways we don’t always recognize until it’s too late…. I know this because I lived it. As a high-functioning neurodivergent adult, I struggled to ask for help. I learned to blend in, but had to navigate situations I kept stumbling into unintentionally. The turning point came only when I realized that my quirks (the ones I once saw as flaws) were actually my strengths. Once I stopped fighting them and started working with them, everything shifted. My creativity, productivity, and lots of other “ities” improved… but most importantly, the shift kept me from burning out and overanalyzing every conversation. In other words, I realized I could do my best work when I’m fully myself, so I became more mindful of how I show up. I know it’s just my personal story, but in my consulting work with neurodiverse-focused companies, I see it play out again and again. So what helps people like me show up as the best version of themselves in a group setting? A few practices make a big difference: ✨ Get comfortable being yourself. When you understand and accept your strengths and challenges in a neutral way, it becomes easier to feel at ease with who you are. Think of it as a trait, not something good or bad. ✨ Context matters. Read the room. Listen to learn, not to prove you’re the smartest. Ask questions instead of assuming. You’ll respond better and come across more credible. ✨ Ask for accommodations and adapt when you can. I know I do my best work in a quiet space, but I also know getting my own office is not a reality. So I find a quiet-ish corner, turn off Slack, let people know where to find me (while making it clear I’d prefer not to be interrupted), and use noise-canceling headphones with focus music to stay on track. ✨ Ask for feedback often. Check in with peers and managers often and ask how things are going. A coffee run or informal chat outside the office builds camaraderie and invites honest feedback without seeming needy. Reach out to cross-functional teammates too; you’ll be surprised how much you learn. Lastly, remember that being different is not less than in any way. The more comfortable you are with yourself, the more you’ll put others at ease. Even when it feels like most people are silently struggling, showing up authentically creates ripples. Small actions like owning your quirks, setting boundaries, and sharing insights can help shift the culture around you. 💬 So in the spirit of shifting the culture here on LinkedIn: list one of your strengths in the comments that you once thought was a flaw, and how it helps you today. I’ll go first! #NeurodiversityAtWork #AuthenticWork #WorkplaceWellbeing

Do you ever feel like you’re constantly navigating a sea of change? 🌊 You are a captain on a sailing ship and you keep having to maneuver the wings to stay stable. But you get hit left and right with rocking waves destabilizing you very often. And you can’t seem to see them in advance. They just come suddenly. Unexpectedly and hit you left and right. Every time you feel like you have things under control, it comes rocking back. And in our current work environment, it’s become the norm. You have no choice but to adapt and swim. Or you drown. You get an unexpected negative feedback making you doubt yourself. You get an extra project that is due whilst you wanted your weekend off. Your management changes and you now have to start over again impressing your new boss. It’s all about becoming resilient. Resilience isn’t just about withstanding the storm but also about learning to dance around it. It's about adapting and growing through challenges, evolving with change rather than being swept away by it. Here are three powerful steps you can take on your journey to build resilience in the workplace: 1️⃣ Embrace Change: Change can be daunting, but it’s also the catalyst for growth and innovation. See change as an opportunity to learn, grow, and reinvent. 2️⃣ Cultivate a Growth Mindset: Challenges and failures are not endpoints - they are steps towards success. It's okay to fall as long as you rise a little stronger each time. 3️⃣ Practice Self-Care: Manage stress by taking care of yourself. It also means taking mental breaks when needed and maintaining a work-life balance. How so you feel about adapting to change? #CareerCoach #CareerAdvice #CareerAdvancement #CareerGuidance #JobSearchAdvice #ProfessionalGrowth