Lesson 5 by Martin Johnson – Embrace Adaptability Over Rigid Planning
In fast‑moving environments, even the best‑laid plans collide with reality. Markets shift, customer needs change, key people move on, and unexpected events reshape priorities overnight. Leaders who cling too tightly to a fixed plan can quickly find themselves stuck, frustrated, or left behind.
Adaptable leaders approach planning differently. They are crystal clear on direction, but flexible on the route – adjusting tactics without losing sight of the bigger goal. At T2, this mindset has helped navigate everything from Covid and hybrid working to complex client demands and high‑stakes performance environments.
Lesson 5 is all about this principle; why embracing adaptability over rigid planning is now a core leadership skill, and how learning to pivot with composure builds more resilient teams and organisations.
Lesson 5 - Embrace Adaptability Over Rigid Planning
No plan survives first contact – with the enemy in a conflict zone, or unexpected events and challenges in the corporate arena.
While planning is important, the plan cannot be inflexible – the ability to adapt when things go wrong is crucial. Effective leaders must be comfortable pivoting and manoeuvring based on the context facing them.
Adaptability is the ability to shift and manoeuvre to whatever context is in front of you, without panic and without being knocked off track. That’s an essential leadership skill in any environment.
This lesson proved vital for T2 during Covid, when we had just committed to a three-year lease on new offices. Rather than panic as lockdown loomed, we immediately pivoted, investing in virtual delivery technology and repositioning the business for remote learning. This adaptation not only saved the business; it accelerated our growth.
The key to adaptability is maintaining calm under pressure. Military training deliberately creates chaotic situations to test resolve and resilience. We’ve applied these principles in business, including in our T2 Leadership Retreat “pressure rooms” – controlled scenarios where leaders face unexpected challenges and must adapt their approach in real time.
Adaptability doesn’t mean abandoning strategy; it means holding strategy lightly. The flag on the hill remains constant, but the route to reach it must be flexible. Our work with INEOS Grenadiers demonstrated this during Tour de France campaigns, where adverse weather, injuries and competitive dynamics constantly forced tactical adjustments while maintaining the overall strategic objective.
Great leaders develop what we describe as “contextual awareness” – the ability to read situations quickly and adjust their leadership style accordingly. This might mean switching from collaborative to directive leadership style during a crisis, or from supportive to challenging when complacency sets in.
More About Martin Johnson
Martin Johnson is the founder and CEO of T2 The People Performance People, a consultancy at the forefront of leadership development, working with elite sports teams, global businesses, and public sector organisations. His journey from the Royal Navy to leadership consultancy has shaped a philosophy that blends performance psychology with real-world leadership practice.
Now celebrating its 10th year, T2 partners with organisations including INEOS Grenadiers, Manchester United, Specsavers, and Reckitt, helping leaders build confidence, collaboration, and capability that lasts.
This article is part of our 10 Lessons of Leadership series, celebrating 10 years of T2. Each month, we’ll share a new lesson from our CEO, Martin Johnson, designed to give leaders practical insights they can apply straight away.
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