Happy Friday 👋 !

Ever stare at a restaurant menu and just can't decide what you want? The burger you love, the Caesar salad you always get, or that new pasta dish?

Three choices. You know what two taste like. The waiter's waiting.

You finally order. Then, by the time they've gone around the table, you're waving them down to change your order. You're just going to have the same Caesar salad again.

It's just lunch. All the information is there. The stakes are zero.

So here's my question: if we freeze over a familiar menu, how are we supposed to decide at work when the stakes are high, information is incomplete, and the menu keeps changing?

The Decision Paralysis Problem

Complexity isn't slowing down. In 2021, Gartner found that 65% of decisions had become more complex than just two years earlier—more stakeholders, more options, more interdependencies.

Now add AI disruption, hybrid work, and constantly shifting customer expectations. It's exponential.

And here's the thing: indecision feels safer, but it's not. It erodes morale, creates confusion, and leaves your organization exposed. In times of rapid change, making timely decisions—even imperfect ones—matters more than waiting for clarity that may never come.

The key: every decision should launch a learning cycle. Decide, act, gather feedback, adjust. That's adaptability in motion.

The AQ Approach to Deciding in the Dark

This is where the ACE Model of AQ (Ability, Character, Environment) becomes your friend. Let me walk you through three dimensions that transform how teams make decisions.

1. Unlearn First (Ability)

We're wired to repeat what worked before. It's efficient—until it's not. In a rapidly changing world, yesterday's best practice becomes tomorrow's blind spot.

Before deciding anything significant, ask your team:

• "What assumptions are we carrying that might not be true anymore?"
• "What do we need to let go of to see this clearly?"

High-AQ teams build the muscle to unlearn. They shed outdated thinking and create space for fresh perspectives. Sometimes the biggest barrier isn't lack of information—it's our attachment to old information.

"What got you here won't get you there." — Marshall Goldsmith

2. Get Comfortable with Complexity (Ability)

Mental flexibility isn't about having the right answer—it's about holding multiple possibilities without rushing to resolve the tension.

Try This: The Scenario Sprint (20-30 minutes)

Present a real challenge: "A new competitor just disrupted our space. Our current model is under threat."

Break into small groups and have each explore three paths:

• A radical pivot
• An evolution of your current approach
• An unexpected partnership or collaboration

The goal isn't to pick the "winner." It's to stretch your collective thinking and get comfortable exploring competing ideas simultaneously.

"Those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything." — George Bernard Shaw

3. Reframe with Hope (Character)

Hope isn't naive optimism. It's the cognitive fuel that keeps us moving when we can't see the whole path ahead. It helps us spot possibility alongside risk.

When your team faces uncertainty, try these prompts:

• "What opportunity might be hiding in this disruption?"
• "If we trusted our ability to adapt, how would that change our next move?"

When you combine hopeful reframing with psychological safety (the Environment dimension of AQ), something shifts. People feel safe to experiment, test, and—critically—fail forward. That's when real adaptive capacity shows up.

Make It Practical: 30-45 Minute Team Session

1. Present the disruption – Name the real challenge you're facing
2. Unlearning round – What assumptions need questioning?
3. Scenario planning – Explore 2-3 divergent paths forward
4. Hope reflection – What could go right here?
5. Debrief – Which AQ dimensions helped most?

The Bottom Line

Adaptability isn't about having perfect information or making flawless decisions. It's about building the capacity to move forward, learn fast, and adjust as you go.

So next time you're facing a decision in uncertainty, don't search for the perfect answer. Activate your AQ instead.

Unlearn what's no longer serving you. Hold complexity without forcing resolution. Reframe with hope.

That's not just decision-making. That's adaptability in action.

And once you've decided? Communicate clearly—what you decided, why, and how you'll review it. Create that feedback loop. That's what transforms decisions into momentum.

What decision are you wrestling with right now?

What might you need to unlearn to see it differently?

Have a great weekend!

Ann
​www.adaptsuccess.com

Gear Up for Change is your weekly dose of practical ideas for unlocking adaptability and thriving in an AI-accelerated world. Forward this to a colleague who needs to hear this message and they can subscribe here.

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Want to Gear Up for Change Faster? Here are 3 Next Steps:

1️⃣ Get Your FREE AI Leadership Edge Scorecard. How prepared are you to lead your team and thrive through change? Find out in less than 5 minutes.

2️⃣ Measure Your AQ Take a 25-minute assessment to discover your Adaptability Quotient (AQ). Learn how to thrive in times of change and create a strategy for your growth. Gear up for the rest of 2025 using our companion AQme Workbook. (Tip: check with your manager -- you can probably expense this!) Learn more here.

Issue #53, 23 October 2025