Pivot, pivot, pivot
on staying open to change in an ever evolving world
A pivot is defined as “a fundamental, strategic shift in direction, commonly used in business to adapt to new market conditions, customer feedback, or technology while retaining the core vision” (Founder Institute).
Beyond it’s traditional definition, pivots can be smaller and less dramatic than the classic definition. They can turn you 180 degrees or just 30. A pivot is a pivot - use them to your advantage at whatever degree they seem most useful.
On an individual career level, pivots don’t have a specific timeline. They can happen in a day or over a year. There isn’t one way to do them, but do them you must. Why? Because if you don’t find ways to pivot, you’ll become less relevant and make less impact. You know the saying:
"If you don't change with the times, the times will change without you."
So how do we keep up with the ever evolving world and pivot quickly enough to keep up (when we want to)? Here are a few hacks I’ve learned over the years:
Talk to your colleagues: ask them questions, inquire about why they’re doing things a certain way, and ask them what they think is missing from the company - pay attention to what stands out!
Read the news: keep up to date with the basic news. I know, the news is depressing. But staying relevant and watching the world evolve is the easiest way to know what might be changing + how you can pivot with that change.
Use AI: yes, you 100% should be using AI at this point. But use it to brainstorm your strengths, weaknesses, and possible pivots. Ask it questions. The deeper you dig, the more you’ll uncover.
Learn, learn, learn: maybe the most important skill is the interest and ability to continue learning. If you’re not learning, you’re not growing. Successful pivots require creative exposure, which often comes from an openness to learning.
Links I loved this week:
how to dish out constructive feedback & stop avoiding the awkward
your vision board is sabtaging your future - thanks for the tip, J!
should you stay or quit? a matrix on making career decisions
