1. David Dawson University of Gloucestershire 20th February 2019
Leadership in Times of Uncertainty
David Dawson
University of Gloucestershire
20th February 2019

2. David Dawson University of Gloucestershire 20th February 2019
Leadership for Real Change
David Dawson
University of Gloucestershire
20th February 2019

3. David Dawson University of Gloucestershire 20th February 2019
Flexibility through Adaptive Leadership
David Dawson
University of Gloucestershire
20th February 2019

4. Agenda Consider the drivers of our change
Challenge the nature of organisational flexibility
Posit the need for different types of leadership
Adaptive leadership
Adaptive followers

5. Change

6. Activity Consider the main changes facing your business right now
Lets share them
What’s driving them?
Which of them can we resolve with existing expertise?
For which do we need new solutions?

7. Types of change Define problems and solutions
Technical
Adaptive
Define problems and solutions
Shield the organisation from external threat
Restore order
Clarify roles and responsibilities
Reduce conflict
Maintain norms
Identify challenges / key questions & issues
Let the organisation feel external threats / productive stress
Regulate disequilibrium
Disorient roles and resist pressure to settle
Use conflict productively
Challenge unproductive norms

8. Adaptive change requires
Responses outside the current repertoire.
Recognition of an organization’s interdependence with its environment.
Local adaptations to local environments.
Conservative / innovative solutions.
Understanding that solutions often lie within the society or organization.
Engagement in experimentation.
Acceptance that change involves loss as people realign both allegiances and competencies.
Disequilibrium.
A focus on people.
Time.

9. Flexibility

10. Atkinson’s flexible firm
Static Flexibility

11. Adaptive firm Progressive Flexibility
Distinguish core practices vs obstacles
Develop and test new practices
Integrate new practices
Progressive Flexibility

12. Adaptive
Leadership

13. Adaptive leadership
Distinguishes between technical and adaptive change
Adaptive leadership is about change that enables the capacity to thrive.
Adaptive change interventions build on the past rather than jettison it.
Organizational change happens through experimentation.
Adaptive leadership relies on diversity.
New adaptations have the potential of significantly displacing, re-regulating, and rearranging the status quo.
Adaptive change takes time.

14. Adaptive leadership Leaders
Provide direction by identify challenges and key questions
Let people feel pressure (that they can withstand)
Challenge roles and don’t settle them too quickly
Expose conflict to allow disruption
Focus on challenging unproductive norms

15. Adaptive leadership Followers Are willing to experiment
Take on responsibility
Lead on their areas of expertise
Engage in the change agenda
Seek support (but only when necessary)

16. Discussion points
To what extent do you concur with the view of the world presented by the adaptive perspective?
What would challenge(s) would you face in adopting adaptive leadership?
To what extent do you have adaptive followers?
What actions should we take to promote adaptive practices?

17. Contact
To discuss how you can promote positive leadership practices further in your organisation please contact: David Dawson The Business School Oxstalls Lane Longlevens Gloucester Gloucestershire GL2 9HW