The ‘Q’ factor. These are the days of Quotients. We started with IQ, i.e., the intelligence quotient. That gave way to EQ, i.e., the emotional quotient. Then SQ, i.e., spiritual quotient became hot talk. These days companies are talking about AQ, i.e., the adaptability quotient.
Rightly so. The speed of change is a knockoff. With the world spinning around, before a product is launched, it becomes obsolete. Before a policy is launched, it expires. Before content is made, it goes viral. In such times, it is not the survival of the fittest but the survival of the most adaptable. The human brain has great capacity to adapt but does not like to adapt. Brain can learn and relearn new things. Brain is also a repetition organ. Repetition means predictability. When we repeat a behavior, we create clear neural pathways that enable more automatic processing. Familiar actions engage the brains part called basal ganglia, central to habit formation and routine behaviors. New behaviour creates unpredictability that the brain does not like. New behaviors require the brain to construct fresh pathways, which takes time, focus and will power.
Routines are easy because they are safe pathways the brain has travelled many times before. However, at present, except for more and more work, there are very few things that remain the same. From economic changes to climate changes, the list of change is long. In the corporate world, the new norm is that there is no norm. You go to work, and find out the company is announcing cuts in pay. You come back home and find out the wifi has disappeared. You open the TV and see attacks on countries by countries. You call your logistics guy to re-route your raw material and he says there are no other routes. You message your manager to call an emergency meeting and his resignation letter is already in the inbox. That being so, has life gone crazy and the world gone mad? Can we really sustain such frantic changes? Life has certainly paced up. It is not going to slow. Our brains need to be put at their real job, i.e., survival. For companies struggling with these challenges in 2026 the need to know the overall AQ adaptability quotient and the individual adaptability quotient is a priority. Adaptability Quotient (AQ) is a measure of an individual’s or organization’s ability to adapt to change, learn from failures, and thrive in uncertain environments. If ever a year was uncertain, it is 2026. The factors that influence the adaptability of a person or organization are:
Cognitive flexibility— This is the ability of a brain to be more accepting and less rigid on unfamiliar things. Nobody is born with it. Brain is a learning machine. Flexibility means how many times an opposing or new or uncertain element was presented and accepted or rejected.
Relearning capacity— This is the ability to create new neural pathways of learning. Old pathways of learning may not be totally erased but new learning can supersede old pathways. The baby boomers working in organizations are normally resistant to new technology. But there many who like to learn and stay abreast.
Emotional resilience— This is a key factor. New things induce uncertainty. Uncertainty triggers fear. Fear triggers cortisol and reactivity. Reactivity spurs conflict. How stable or unstable the emotions remain in situations that are uncomfortable and unpredictable? This response will show how well or badly the discomfort zone will be entered.
These are all neural pathways that can be developed with an enabling environment. Once the opportunity is given by an organization then the evaluation process needs to distinguish between those who are on the adaptability pathway and those who are not. Organizations need to do the following to create the enabling environment:
Provide psychological safety— Adaptability means considering different paths and options. That brings uncertainty. People feel the fear of failure, fear of being singled out, fear of the unknown, fear of being taken to task if they express their fears. Organisations that want flexibility and relearning to happen have to give people the assurance that errors and speaking up will not be held against them. A fearful brain has an anti-creativity and -productivity bias. Leaders in the organization have to be secure enough to share their vulnerabilities. They need to create a culture where feedback is not only given but also taken and taken seriously.
Hire for adaptability— Most hiring is done on qualifications and experience. However, the hiring process also must include some measurement of adaptability quotient. Look for career changes, diverse project involvement, or upskilling outside of core duties. Ask questions on skill upgradation record. Do reference checks on how the candidate respond to abrupt changes in the previous jobs. Offer challenging assignments to see how they respond to them.
Adjust performance evaluation— People behave in the way they are assessed and incentivised. Include significant weightage for adaptability ability. Assess employees on questions like “Is flexible and open to new ideas, encouraging others to recognize the value of change”. “Successfully adapted to a major organizational change (e.g., restructuring, new software) and helped team members navigate the transition smoothly”. “Proactively seeks training and quickly learns new skills or technologies to remain current and effective in their role”, etc.
Create adaptability champions— The best way to make adaptability a modus operandi is to recognize and reward it. Create Adaptability circles. Make a criterion of how embracing change in a given manner will create career paths for you. Those who champion change need to be celebrated. The change adopters and their performances are a story to be told through various internal communication and media channels.
2026 is a year where both artificial intelligence and human intelligence are going to be under trial. Organizations need to not just install AI agents but uninstall old mindsets that become the biggest barrier to creativity and growth. While IQ, i.e., Intelligent Quotient and EQ, i.e., emotional intelligence are very important, they are as good as the person’s ability to adapt. Stephen Hawkins answered the question of what is intelligence by saying “Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change”.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
The writer is a columnist, consultant, coach, and an analyst and can be reached at andleeb.abbas1@gmail.com