Adopt adaptive leadership to tackle every challenge

It's no fun feeling dissatisfied and disgusted, but those powerful emotions can motivate change when used wisely, writes speaker and consultant Skip Prichard. That "requires a willingness to sit with discomfort and to honestly evaluate our current situations," Prichard writes, noting that asking good questions will uncover how to use those emotions to better yourself or your situation.

Put it into practice: Dissatisfaction can motivate you to change something in your personal trajectory, while disgust may move you to create change on a larger scale, Prichard writes. Either way, you'll need determination to "recognize these emotions and act on them."

Adaptive leaders are proactive and have the flexibility and agility to address complex problems such as uncertainty, change management and disruption, writes Naphtali Hoff, president of Impactful Coaching and Consulting. Hoff offers three scenarios and actions adaptive leaders can take to tackle each challenge.

Put it into practice: In each scenario of adaptive leadership, Hoff outlines some necessary actions, including transparent communication, engaging key players throughout the process and assessing or adapting new methods or strategies. "Keep the team updated on any changes or progress, reinforcing that adaptability and resilience are critical during uncertain times."

Communication sometimes outranks compensation in XPO surveys of employees' wishes, leading author Brad Jacobs to write that "[o]vercommunication is essential." As a CEO, Jacobs communicates with all types of employees frequently and through multiple channels, explaining a feedback loop and why such loops are vital.

Put it into practice: Don't communicate sporadically; stay available. Have an executive-level listening channel, and act on the messages you get. "Asking for input is a way to show respect, and we find it pays dividends on both sides," Jacobs says, among other suggestions.

Leaders can enhance employee engagement by knowing their needs and what matters to them, then creating a culture that makes it safe for them to do their best, says Dan Riley, co-founder and CEO of RADICL. "A safe environment means your voice matters, and you can say things that might be a little uncomfortable, and you can share how you're feeling or how you're doing," Riley says.

Alex Tielles owns a horse named Custard in Guernsey and has taken to social media to alert neighbors and passers-by that Custard likes to frequently lie down for a nap because he's "incredibly lazy" and requested that they stop reporting her to animal welfare. "He sleeps a lot and may even snore and grunt like he can't breathe. I check him at least three times a day, and he has unlimited hay and is fed at least twice a day," Tielles wrote in a post.

I'll speak for myself, but when I looked in the mirror recently, I felt dissatisfied and slightly disgusted. I used to work out regularly, but I had let it slide for far too long, like so many things in life.

My spouse and I have been getting up at oh-dark-thirty since the New Year to do yoga and other exercises to ease ourselves into a workout regimen. It has not been easy, but those initial feelings of dissatisfaction and disgust, as Skip Prichard points out, got us both motivated.

It's easy to let those feelings of discontent pile up and transform into complaints and grumbling. As Prichard notes, it takes determination to do something about them before anything will ever change.

Have you used feelings of dissatisfaction or disgust to motivate you to change things -- whether it was yourself or some situation? Tell me about it.

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