Editorial
When the world shut down in 2020, two leadership traits surged to the forefront: adaptability and resilience. They showed up in every town hall, every strategy deck and every “we’re in this together” message. Back then, we defined those qualities through the lens of survival. Leaders were navigating remote work, business disruption and a long overdue moral reckoning.
But 2025 demands more. Leaders today face relentless volatility — economic shocks, geopolitical conflicts, climate emergencies and the rise of generative AI. The question isn’t whether you can endure chaos. It’s whether you can lead through it.
Resilience and adaptability are still non-negotiable, but now they mean standing firm in your values, evolving with intention, and creating workplaces where people thrive, even amid uncertainty. That’s the new leadership test.
A Global Crisis and the Call for Resilience
Resilience, back then, was about withstanding the shock of a global pandemic that tested our physical, emotional and operational limits. It meant holding organizations together through fear, disconnection and loss.
But it also took on deeper meaning as we collectively witnessed — some for the first time, many for the thousandth — the ongoing violence and systemic oppression faced by Black Americans. The deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and too many others were not isolated incidents, they were part of a centuries-long pattern of injustice. What changed was that the nation — and much of the corporate world — could no longer look away.
Adaptability in that moment became synonymous with moral courage. Leaders were expected to do more than acknowledge racism; they were called to listen, learn and act. Companies scrambled to issue diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) statements, launch listening sessions and confront inequities that had been baked into their cultures. And while some of those efforts faded with time, others laid the groundwork for the more integrated, equity-driven leadership models emerging today.
For many executives, those months were a crash course in how inclusive leadership and business outcomes are deeply connected.
Why Strong Values Power Resilience
Fast forward to today. The crises have changed, but the need for adaptability and resilience has only grown more urgent. We are no longer in reactive mode. Today’s volatility is prolonged and layered. It’s not just a matter of responding to disruption; it’s about learning to lead within it.
Resilience, now, isn’t about bouncing back. It’s about standing firm in your values, your purpose and your humanity, even as conditions shift around you. We’ve seen what happens when organizations pivot quickly but lose sight of their core beliefs. Take Target, for example. Once a strong supporter of diversity efforts, the retailer ended its long-term DEI goals earlier this year in response to conservative pressure, triggering consumer backlash, lower sales and damage to its brand reputation. Adaptability without conviction is not resilience — it’s a business risk.
Modern resilience means creating work environments that prioritize well-being not as a benefit, but as a strategic imperative. It means modeling vulnerability as a strength and embedding psychological safety into every layer of leadership.
Adaptability has evolved too. It’s no longer just about pivoting operations or adopting new technologies. It’s about learning agility, cultural fluency and the ability to make decisions with incomplete information. It’s knowing when to change course — and when to stay grounded.
Flexibility and Agility Are Critical Leadership Skills
Executives who can evolve thoughtfully while staying anchored in their mission will be the ones who lead with both vision and credibility. According to World Economic Forum’s 2025 Future of Jobs Report, resilience, flexibility and agility are among the most in-demand leadership skills, behind analytical thinking.
But cultivating these traits — especially in yourself and your teams — requires more than platitudes. It demands intention. Research from Deloitte’s 2023 Human Capital Trends report shows that organizations with strong learning cultures are 92% more likely to innovate, and significantly more likely to retain talent through uncertainty. Resilience and adaptability thrive in environments where people feel safe, seen and supported. That starts with leadership.
At The Diversity Movement, our entire business was born from that kind of intentional adaptability. We pivoted from the inclusive marketing practice we built at the marketing agency Walk West, to help organizations transform their cultures following the racial justice protests of summer 2020. What began as a niche project evolved into a thriving business because we stayed curious, listened deeply and were willing to evolve our vision without losing sight of our values.
Winning Leaders Anticipate Change and Adapt
Ultimately, the difference between adaptability and resilience lies in their direction. Resilience looks inward — it’s about your capacity to endure, to process and to persist. Adaptability looks outward — it’s about your willingness to evolve, to listen and to respond. Both are essential. Both must be nurtured. And both, when grounded in clear values and activated with purpose, allow leaders not merely to weather the storm — but shape what comes next.
In 2020, these traits helped us endure. In 2025, they will help us lead. The future belongs to those who can stand firm in their values while staying agile enough to meet each new challenge. The real question for leaders isn’t whether you can keep pace with change, but whether you can guide your people through it, with humanity and vision. That’s what will determine which organizations remain static — and which rise to meet the moment.
Conference
Sep
16
HR Tech Conference Las Vegas 2025
Register
Conference
Oct
27
Gartner HR Symposium/Xpo Orlando 2025
Register
Editor's Note: Read more about the leadership skills you need today:
- Leadership at a Crossroads: Thriving Through Change in 2025 — The pressure to invest in technological innovations might lead you to believe it should come at the expense of workforce investments. That's a false dichotomy.
- How to Build a Thriving Workforce in 2025 — A motivated, productive and engaged workforce can be yours if you focus on these six areas.
- AI Is Your Leadership Test: Will You Build a Future-Ready Culture or Get Left Behind? — AI is transforming the way business gets done, with or without you. Will your people be part of this revolution or sidelined by it?
Learn how you can join our contributor community.
