Monday, 22 January 2024

Adaptability in Life- Part 1

We belong to the specie called Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthal, Homo-erectus, Homo denisova, Homo rudolfensis, Homo soloensis are our distant cousins. Where are they now? All have disappeared from earth leaving us alone. Homo Neanderthals were shorter but stronger than us. They were the last to become extinct around 30,000 years ago. They failed to adapt with changing situation at that time.

According to Darwin “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one most adaptable to change”. The issue of adaptability is not same for business organization and living organisms. Business and manufacturing systems prioritize adaptability for efficiency and economic success, while biological and ecological systems require a trade-off between adaptability and efficiency.

A good number of conceptual work are available on adaptability in social life. The work of Max McKeown(English writer, consultant, and researcher specializing in innovation strategy, leadership and culture) provides some understanding on adaptability issues. He introduced four levels of adaptation for social groups: collapsing, coping, triumphing, and transcending, highlighting the importance of survival, prosperity, and overcoming limitations for greater benefit.

I will blend the ancient Indian philosophical ideas and modern concept of adaptability to create pathway for a life to become Sahaja ( Simple), Sarala ( Easy) and Sundara ( Balanced).

    For more on Max McKeown’s work read the book- Adaptability: The Art of Winning in an Age of Uncertainty

No comments:

Post a Comment

Adaptability in Life- Part 1

We belong to the specie called Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthal, Homo-erectus, Homo denisova, Homo rudolfensis, Homo soloensis are our dist...