adaptive leadership - leading adaptive change

Leading Adaptive

ChangeGeoff Higgins

Adaptive Leadership

1. What does ‘adapt’ mean?

2. What could ‘adaptive leadership’ mean??

Conventional Leadership

• Directing activity

• Providing authoritative expertise

• Protecting the workers

‘leadership by solution’

Heifetz’ EPA Story

• William Ruckelshaus re-energising EPA

• Pollution – Asarco copper plant near Tacoma

• EPA expected to make a ruling based on available science (& maybe a bit of politics)

• Science cannot answer: health vs livelihood

• Controversial new approach: ask the community

• New possibilities – diversification

• EPA & the Tacoma community adapted

Source: Heifetz, 1994Image source: ft.com

Conventional or Adaptive?

Conventional Leadership• The exercise of authority• Maintenance of norms• Giving directions• Used when you are

confident your directions will result in useful outcomes

• Working within organisational competencies

Conventional or Adaptive?

Conventional Leadership• The exercise of authority• Maintenance of norms• Giving directions• Used when you are

confident your directions will result in useful outcomes

• Working within organisational competencies

Adaptive Leadership• Addressing adaptive

challenges• Challenging norms• Involving primary

stakeholders• Used in situations of

complexity & uncertainty• Working outside

organisational competencies

The Adaptive Challenge

reality aspirationsGAP

The Adaptive Challenge

GAP

Image sources: backtogeek.com & Thomas Connor at flickr.com

The Adaptive Challenge

Image sources: mindflash.com & getentrepreneurial.com

GAP

The Adaptive Challenge

reality aspirationsGAP

Not Drinking

“drinking is killing me”

• Friendships• Habits• Mindset• Lifestyle

Adaptive Leadership

Understand that change will be difficult.

Adaptive Leadership

Understand that change will be difficult.

Find out WHY the gap exists.

Adaptive Leadership

Understand that change will be difficult.

Find out WHY the gap exists.

Work with others to figure out HOW to close the gap.

Adaptive Leadership

Understand that change will be difficult.

Find out WHY the gap exists.

Work with others to figure out HOW to close the gap.

Have the COURAGE to experiment & implement!

To Do’s for the Leader

1. Identify ‘the adaptive challenge’2. Regulate distress3. Maintain disciplined attention4. Give the work back to people5. ‘Get off the dance floor & onto the balcony’

Source: Heifetz et al, 2009

1. Identify ‘the adaptive challenge’

Diagnose the situation & clearly communicate the challenge.

2. Regulate distress

Expose people to the real issues, while giving them attention and support.

3. Maintain disciplined attention

Keep people focussed on the work.

4. Give the work back to people

Involve people (as per Ricardo Semler).

5. Get off the dance floor…

Frequently stand back from the detail and analyse what you see.

References

• Heifetz, RA & Laurie, DL (2001) ‘The Work of Leadership’ in Harvard Business Review December 2001.

• Heifetz, RA, Grashow, A & Linsky, M (2009)The Practice of Adaptive Leadership, Harvard University Press.

• Heifetz, RA (1994) Leadership Without Easy Answers, Belknap Press, Mass.

© Performance People Pty Ltd, 2009

Added to SlideShare by GeoffatPerformancePeople

www.performancepeople.com.au