Here’s the big take away. Your capability got you to where you are, but it is not going to guarantee your success.

From our earliest stages of life, we build and rely on capability. It’s how we are taught in school, how we are measured in our jobs, how we see ourselves versus others, and how we assess how effective we are at what we do. When it matters, we lean in on capability. Yet, when challenging events, situations, or people confront us, we question our capability. This often leads to negative self-talk, limiting beliefs, or fueling our sense of imposter syndrome. We question whether we can be counted on when it counts.

Compatibility is more than how you fit with a culture. Can you use your unique strengths to contribute and have an impact? Can you be accretive to the business, its culture, or stakeholders? Is there alignment between your values and the organization’s? Does the purpose and mission resonate and inspire?

Copability (yes, it’s a made-up word) is how you respond to politics, culture cracks, values misalignment, competing agendas, resource constraints, bad bosses, difficult people, and illogical measures and incentives. All of which create friction and throw sand in the gears to thwart your agenda, despite your best efforts. This may read as a lengthy list but is there anything here that really surprises? Here’s the thing. No matter where you take your capabilities there will be incompatibilities – they can’t be escaped. Capability may have gotten you the role, copability will decide your success. And copability is a function of compatibility. If there is low compatibility, you will find it harder to cope.

Leaders rightly work at developing their capabilities and need to spend as much if not more effort developing their ability to cope. When it comes to dramatic change or a trigger events, such a new boss, a competitive threat, or something more existential like “will AI end my job?”, we tend to assume a negative consequence, fear the potential impact, and question our capability. When it’s really about being able to cope.

What if you could take a unique perspective? What if you looked at trigger events as an opportunity to enhance your compatibility and strengthen your copability? In times of crisis, people look up to see how leaders are responding, much like how passengers look up to see how flight attendants respond to turbulence. If they appear cool-headed, people at once feel less fearful.

Is how you cope the way you want others to see how you cope? World class athletes train their bodies and their minds so that they rise to the occasion when the moment matters. What will you do in those moments that matter? How will you show up? How will others say you showed up?

Continually investing in your capability is important to stay relevant. Investing in your copability is essential to being a successful leader.

As always, please let me know your thoughts. I’d love to hear your stories on how you’re coping in today’s volatile environment.