The Fatal Flaw: How a Fixed Mindset and Lack of MQ Killed Industrial Giants

By Enas Fleming, Co-founder & Operations Director, The Power Within Training 

 

If there’s one truth every woman in management knows, it’s this: the ground beneath our feet is never still. Markets shift overnight. Clients change their minds. Technology moves faster than we can keep up. And then life throws in its own share of curveballs.

For women leaders, these challenges are often magnified by bias, underestimation, and the constant balancing act between work and home. That’s why adaptability in leadership for women isn’t just a nice-to-have skill, it’s survival. It’s the ability to adjust, refocus, and move forward when plans unravel. More importantly, it’s the ability to help others do the same.

At The Power Within Training, adaptability sits right at the heart of our framework: Motivational Intelligence (MQ). High-MQ leaders don’t avoid discomfort, they embrace it. They know you can’t always control the storm, but you can adjust your sails. And that difference, the choice between resisting change or adapting to it, is often what separates success from stagnation.

 

Corporate Lessons: Adaptability in Leadership vs. Rigidity

History has given us plenty of reminders about what happens when leaders resist change.

Blockbuster didn’t collapse because of Netflix’s technology. It collapsed because of mindset. Its leaders clung to short-term gains like late fees and physical stores, rather than adapting to a digital future.

Woolworths spread itself too thin, trying to be everything to everyone. Instead of taking ownership and making tough choices, it avoided them. A lack of clarity and accountability left it stuck until it was too late.

Kodak invented digital photography but refused to embrace it. Why? Because leaders were scared of disrupting their comfortable, familiar film business. That fear cost them relevance.

Each of these giants had the same fatal flaw: not a lack of resources, but a lack of adaptability.

 

Adaptability in Leadership for Women: Real Stories in Action

Adaptability isn’t abstract. It’s something leaders live and breathe every day. Here are three examples of how women leaders used adaptability to not only survive but thrive:

Sarah: The Project Manager Who Rebuilt Trust
When COVID-19 brought her projects to a standstill, Sarah’s carefully planned timelines became meaningless. At first, she panicked. Then she adapted. She set up daily check-ins, introduced flexible working, and built contingency into every plan. Her adaptability salvaged projects and strengthened trust with her team.

Priya: The Marketing Leader Who Pivoted Overnight
Halfway through a big campaign, Priya’s client cut their budget in half. Instead of retreating, she reframed the challenge: “What can we do that’s just as powerful, but costs less?” The result was a digital-first campaign that doubled engagement.

Amina: The Operations Director Who Faced Resistance
When Amina rolled out a new system, her team resisted. Instead of forcing it, she leaned on MQ; celebrating small wins, highlighting early adopters, and showing how the change empowered people rather than replaced them. The system took root and morale soared.

These stories prove that adaptability in leadership for women isn’t about avoiding failure. It’s about reframing setbacks, leading with resilience, and bringing others with you.

 

The Fixed Mindset Trap

So what stops leaders from adapting? More often than not, it’s a fixed mindset.

We’ve all heard phrases like:

“We’ve always done it this way.”

“I don’t have time to plan, I’m too busy putting out fires.”

“If I don’t do it myself, it won’t get done right.”

Those exact beliefs killed Blockbuster, Kodak, and Woolworths. Fear of discomfort, fear of loss, and fear of change are what paralyses progress.

High-MQ leaders think differently. They don’t ask, “How do I protect what I already have?” They ask, “How do I adapt to what’s next?”

 

Adaptability in Practice: Tools Leaders Can Use

Here are a few practical tools to strengthen adaptability in leadership for women:

• Use conflict as a driver of growth. Done well, conflict uncovers hidden issues and drives innovation.
• Treat feedback as fuel. Ask “What’s one thing I could do better?” and model vulnerability as a strength.
• Focus on High-Payoff Activities (HPAs). Review where your time goes, cut out low-value tasks, and double down on the work that creates impact.
• Think in scenarios. Anticipate multiple outcomes and prepare for both setbacks and opportunities.
• Manage your mindset. Surround yourself with resilient influences and practice reframing challenges as opportunities.

 

Why Adaptability in Leadership for Women is a Game-Changer

Adaptability is especially powerful for women in management. It allows us to disarm stereotypes, inspire others through resilience, and create cultures where innovation thrives. It’s not about leading like anyone else, it’s about leading authentically, with flexibility and courage.

When women in leadership embrace adaptability, they rise above bias, turn obstacles into stepping stones, and build careers that last.

 

Will You Resist or Adapt?

The downfall of Blockbuster, Woolworths, and Kodak proves what happens when leaders cling to the past. But the stories of Sarah, Priya, and Amina prove what’s possible when leaders embrace adaptability.

Adaptability isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about having the courage to ask better questions, the resilience to keep going when things get tough, and the vision to lead people through change.

For women in management, adaptability in leadership isn’t optional. It’s the pathway to growth, resilience, and long-term success.

So the real question is this: when the next wave of change arrives, will you resist it, or will you adapt and lead through it?

 

Enas Fleming
The Power Within Training
The Motivational Intelligence Company
contact@tpwtd.com