Protecting the future while addressing the challenges of today
Organisations of all shapes and sizes are under pressure. The current environmental, political, economic, technical and societal contexts make organisational operating environments fraught.
We put our future plans to the side while we focus on responding to the challenges at hand.
We make reactive decisions to regain leverage and a sense of control.
We prioritise short-term survival at the expense of long-term impact.
It’s understandable why we do it, particularly when there doesn’t feel like much choice if we want the organisation to continue on.
Are we asking the wrong question when we ask ‘how do we survive this’?
What if the better question is:
How do we evolve to remain in service of our purpose and contribute to a better tomorrow?
Can long-term impact be part of the survival strategy?
When an organisation is rigid in their makeup, there’s no wonder we shift to the whims and winds of today.
We’re seeing this as organisations…
Drop years of DEI efforts overnight
Push back net-zero targets
Restructure and mass redundancies with no engagement or alternative explorations with the people impacted
Disband sustainability teams
Shelve employee wellbeing initiatives
Prioritise cost-cutting over value-creating by slashing R&D or cutting capability building
Reduce autonomy and centralising decision-making
Forgo ethical supply chain sourcing
Long-term contributions to impact can’t be a nice to have, even in tough times. Contributing to impact can’t become optional.
The key to survival today AND long-term impact into the future is to become a soft, adaptable organisation.
From expected, everyday pressures to surprising crises, soft adaptability helps us reduce panic-based decision making.
Protect the future while addressing the now
A soft, adaptable organisation doesn’t mean one without direction or discipline. It means an organisation can flex without breaking, one that can hold multiple time horizons at once.
Instead of cutting everything not tied to immediate revenue, they ask:
What do we need to preserve so we stay in service of our purpose?
Where can we shift that keeps us aligned and future-fit?
How do we engage our people in shaping what’s next, rather than surprising them with it?
Soft adaptability shows up when organisations:
Explore alternatives to redundancy, like redeployment or reduced hours
Maintain community and environmental commitments, even in leaner times
Use principles to guide decision-making, not just spreadsheets
Keep open lines of communication, feedback and participation
Invest in learning, so people can meet new challenges with confidence
These choices might feel slower in the moment, but they create stronger futures for people, for communities, for our environment, and for the organisation itself.
Soft adaptability isn’t a weakness. It’s what helps organisations meet the current moment without compromising the future.
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