Adaptive Leadership

Authorities Basic Functions –Direction –Protection –Orientation to role and to place –Control of conflict –Maintenance of norms

Leaders From Positions of Authority Access to tools and resources Regulate stress From Positions Without Authority Stuck in the middle No control of organizational environment No access to resources

Defining the Challenge Technical or Routine Solutions exist Experts exist Adaptive No solutions No experts People are part of the problem and ownership becomes part of the solution

Indicators of Adaptive Challenges Recurrent crises Requires new learning

Resistance to Adaptive Work Scapegoating Externalizing the enemy Kill off the leader Reorganize (again!) Denying Creating a decoy

Organizational Implications 1)Develop a Shared Vision LISTEN Sense of urgency Ex: Regional Minority Consortium 2) Development of Strategy 3)Set Conflicts in Productive Dialog Conflict is the ENGINE of adaptive work 4)Learn from Failure

Summary Adaptive Leaders:  Engage people in facing the challenge  Adjust values  Change perspectives  Develop new habits of behavior

Greatest Challenge Creating leaders who learn how to follow… And followers who learn how to lead.

References Flower, J. (1995, July-Aug.) A conversation with Ronald Heifetz: Leadership without easy answers. The Healthcare Forum Journal. Grossman, F. & Ancess, J. (2004, Nov.) Narrowing the gap in affluent schools. Educational Leadership, p leadership