Joshua Chefec on Why Adaptability Matters in Modern Careers

Joshua Chefec of New York, NY, reflects on career growth, adaptability, and the value of learning through change.

Joshua Chefec, previously a Market Executive at J.P. Morgan, is raising awareness about the importance of adaptability and continuous learning in today’s fast-changing professional world.

After spending years working across commercial banking, private equity transactions, and business development, Chefec believes one of the biggest challenges facing professionals today is the pressure to have every step of their career perfectly planned.

“I try not to over-engineer my career or my life,” Chefec says. “A lot of growth comes from being willing to adapt and learn in real time.”

Why adaptability has become a critical skill

Workplaces across industries continue to evolve rapidly due to technology, economic shifts, and changing business models. According to the World Economic Forum, nearly half of all workers are expected to require new skills by the end of the decade as industries continue to transform.

At the same time, LinkedIn’s Workplace Learning Report found that adaptability is now considered one of the most valuable professional skills by employers worldwide.

Chefec believes many professionals underestimate how important flexibility has become.

“People want certainty, but careers rarely move in a straight line,” he says. “You have to be able to adjust when situations change.”

His own career reflects that idea. Early on, he moved between different areas of finance, from wealth management to private equity-related transactions to commercial banking leadership roles. Each step required learning new systems, industries, and ways of thinking.

“It was never about following one exact formula,” he says. “It was about building experience and staying open to opportunities.”

Learning through pressure and new environments

Chefec says some of his most important lessons came from situations where there was no clear roadmap.

One of those moments came when he helped open ExpoCredit’s first New York office. The role required him to develop strategy, source deals, and execute transactions independently.

“There wasn’t a playbook sitting there waiting for me,” he says. “You learn quickly when you’re responsible for building something.”

He believes experiences like that force people to develop stronger problem-solving skills and confidence.

Research supports this trend. A study by McKinsey & Company found that employees who regularly adapt to new responsibilities and environments are more likely to advance into leadership positions over time.

Chefec also credits his early experiences outside of business for helping him manage pressure. As a student, he performed at Carnegie Hall as a clarinetist while also balancing competitive academics and sports.

“That taught me how to stay calm under pressure at a young age,” he says.

The importance of diverse thinking

As Chefec moved into leadership roles, he became increasingly focused on building teams with different perspectives and backgrounds.

“When I build a team, I want diversity of thought,” he says. “That’s how you make better decisions.”

He believes strong teams are built through collaboration rather than ego. In fast-moving industries, he says leaders benefit from hearing different viewpoints before making decisions.

According to research from Cloverpop, inclusive teams make better business decisions up to 87 percent of the time compared to more uniform groups.

Chefec says curiosity also plays an important role in long-term growth.

“You should never feel like you already know everything,” he says. “The people who keep learning are usually the ones who continue growing.”

Redefining career success

Chefec believes many professionals place too much emphasis on titles or short-term achievements. Instead, he encourages people to think about long-term sustainability and overall well-being.

“Success can only be defined by yourself,” he says. “It’s about being content with the sum of the parts of your life.”

Outside of work, Chefec stays active through skiing, tennis, cooking, and travel. He says maintaining interests outside of work helps create perspective and balance.

“Overall well-being is related to all aspects of life,” he says. “If you’re only successful in one area, you won’t find real satisfaction.”

Call to action: Stay open to learning

Chefec encourages professionals and students to focus less on trying to map out every detail of their future and more on building habits that support long-term growth.

This can include learning new skills, taking on unfamiliar challenges, listening to different perspectives, and staying adaptable as industries evolve.

“Growth usually happens when you challenge yourself,” he says. “The important thing is to stay open to learning and keep moving forward.”