Adapt, Evolve, or Be Left Behind

As archaeologists we think a lot about adaptation and evolution – from analyzing fossils of our early ancestors to studying changes in pottery styles over time. But the ability to adapt and evolve doesn't just apply to people or objects in the past.

Case in point – Last night the Duke University Men’s Basketball team won the NCAA championship, the fifth title for their legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski. Hallmarks of Duke’s previous championship squads included older, more established players, like Christian Laettner, Grant Hill, and Shane Battier. The landscape of college basketball, however, began to shift, with rules allowing schools to rely on highly talented young players who would often leave college early for professional basketball, sometimes after only one year, earning these players the label of “one-and-done’s”.

Duke’s Coach “K” has criticized this system, but he has also recognized that his industry has changed and he and his team must adapt to remain successful. Sports has more in common with other professions than you might think. The successful teams like Duke are particularly skilled at tracking their progress toward specific goals while also monitoring and adapting to significant trends. 

We each face challenges in our personal lives and careers. If we can learn to adapt to these challenges, we improve our chances of being successful. Doing things simply because “that’s how it’s always been done”, puts us at risk of missing opportunities, and falling behind as our industry evolves.