Adaptive Leadership offers a path through uncertainty for creative problem-solvers in a world facing unprecedented hurdles.
What is Adaptive Leadership?
- Adaptive Leadership is the art of mobilizing people to address tough challenges and thrive in the face of uncertainty.
- First introduced at Harvard Business School by Ronald Heifetz four decades ago, the practice is more relevant today than ever.
How do Adaptive Leaders work?
Adaptive leaders are catalysts of collective learning. They are not experts and don’t operate according to fixed traits. Instead, adaptive leaders embody a dynamic mindset that is constantly evolving.
Adaptive vs. Technical Problems
Effective leaders separate adaptive from technical problems.
- Technical problems have clear solutions that can be readily implemented.
Think: fixing a broken car, following a recipe, applying a formula.
- Adaptive challenges require a learning journey with stakeholders to solve.
Think: addressing climate change, resolving a conflict, changing a habit.
Stakeholders vs. Authorities
Adaptive leaders understand the different roles of authorities and stakeholders in solving challenges.
- Authorities have the power to make decisions and allocate resources.
- Authorities are good at solving technical problems.
- Stakeholders have a range of interests in the problem and its solution.
- Stakeholders are crucial to addressing adaptive challenges.
A Stepwise Approach to Adaptive Leadership
- Diagnose: Identify the problem, its causes, its stakeholders, and their interests.
- Mobilize: Build collective purpose and trust to foster openness among stakeholders.
- Intervene: Implement experiments that test assumptions and promote learning.
- Evaluate: Monitor results — celebrate successes while learning from failures.
