Everyday examples of adaptation: my BYU year to remember

Change always comes crashing in, and you rarely have a say in the timing. As my rookie year at BYU ends this week, I want to share some great examples of adapting to change (both before and after COVID-19 hit) that we can all learn from.

It started in the fall with a project for BYU Marketing Lab. We landed a segmentation study – nothing I haven’t handled before, but I no longer had my usual experienced analysts, just a smart student team. They knew the basics, but spent weeks stretching their skills to run a more comprehensive analysis than they had ever seen. At the final presentation, we expected 3-4 clients. The look on the students’ faces when 20+ people showed up was priceless! Instead of being intimidated, the students thrived, showed their great work, and earned a massive round of applause as we finished.

As January approached, we were looking for enough project work to give experience to 60+ students…and had only two projects committed. Our marketing team started a digital campaign on LinkedIn and our business development team reached out to our network – and they came through. We ended up with 10 projects by February, and a fulfilling semester of experiences.

In our feedback survey, 85% were “Extremely satisfied.”

Some of these projects got moving later than anticipated. Despite compressed timelines, this past week I saw every single team present findings to their clients. The feedback? In our feedback survey, 85% were “Extremely satisfied.” We heard, “This is amazing; such great work!” “This research is terrific.” “Outstanding work this semester…it will certainly have impact.”

Why did it work out so well? A positive attitude and resilience.

Positive Adaptation

After moving classes online last month, I saw students pushed into discomfort zones. Suddenly they had to run team projects remotely. Their quiet study areas were gone. But week after week, I saw their smiling faces on Zoom, where we kept holding class discussions filled with clever comments and friendly banter. What makes for good adaptation? A great attitude.

Many students have had internships cancelled. Instead of sulking, these students are landing ad hoc marketing projects to work on over the summer to build their skills and resumes. Some other students who were headed to the same company for summer internships were switched to remote roles. They are creating a mini-office to work together to create a better experience (following our state’s safety protocols). That’s positive adaptation.

Everything is not normal right now…certainly none of us are in some constant, dreamy state of positivity. But having a good attitude and resilience is about bouncing back from stress and setbacks. Adapting not just to endure, but to “endure it well.”

New Normal

Everything is not normal right now…certainly none of us are in some constant, dreamy state of positivity. But having a good attitude and resilience is about bouncing back from stress and setbacks. Adapting not just to endure, but to “endure it well.”

I spent the last few days grading projects and final exams, and I see so much success. I’m impressed and proud of what these students accomplished.

I’ve seen it in my personal life too.

Let’s compare two restaurants about 200 feet away from each other. My daughter works at Restaurant #1, a Zupas. They have no drive-thru, and before the pandemic, did minimal delivery and pickup. They since adopted online ordering, plus a makeshift drive-thru in the parking lot. Employees like my daughter run orders and food back and forth. They are getting by and keeping people employed. Compare that to Restaurant #2. They offer no way to order or pay online. You can only leave a voicemail…not even talk to a person…describe what you want, and hope that somebody will fulfil it in timely fashion, all while not mishandling your credit card information. No wonder they have no customers out front. I hope they make it through the crisis, but given their lack of adapting, I worry for them.

Two of my sisters work in healthcare. Both are at high-risk for catching COVID-19. Like many others, they have sacrificed and stayed away from their loved ones (a grandma in declining health, and a son whose medical history puts him in the at-risk group) for weeks on end. That’s both adapting and sacrificing.

We can learn something from the explorer Ernest Shackleton, who legendarily posted a job ad that said, “Men wanted for hazardous journey. Low wages, bitter cold, long hours of complete darkness. Safe return doubtful. Honour and recognition in event of success.” He knew that in the risky venture of exploration, you recruited for attitude and trained for the rest. Despite a perilous journey, Shackleton and his crew adapted to every misfortune they faced and famously made it home from their journey with every man alive.

As my first year of teaching at BYU comes to an end, I know I’ll always remember these everyday examples of adaptation and positive, resilient attitudes. Thank you, my students, and everyone around me who has been an inspiration this year!

#adaptation #resilience #byugrad #byumarriottgrad