Adaptive leadership is the practice by which leaders organize groups so that they fight tough challenges. It is the leadership that helps organizations to adapt and thrive in challenging environments, thereby having the ability to take a slow but effective process of change. Adaptive leadership is becoming an essential skill for leaders in today’s world, which is characterized by a mix of urgency, high stakes, and uncertainty. This forces leaders to find ways they must adapt to what and how to get things done. Adaptive leadership allows decisions to be taken, and it involves the entire organization in search of possible solutions. Ronald Heifitz and Marty Linsky came up with adaptive leadership theories that strive to explain how leaders can lead people when an organization is adopting. It is of importance to compare and contrast these theories so that leaders can help organizations adapt to change in this turbulent environment. For the adaptive leadership approach to be strengthened, fundamental elements for accessing leadership frameworks need to be incorporated into the leadership style, and they include agility to attain the objectives, the capability to sense and respond, organizational knowledge, empowering the organization, and willingness to project into the future. According to Jim Hemerling, there are five approaches to leadership in the dynamic era, all human-centered, and they entail inspiration through purpose, going all in, enable capabilities to achieve the goal, instilling a culture of continuous learning, and leadership style.
Inspire through purpose.
Simon Sinek explains the importance of the ‘Golden Circle’ in the innovation process. They circle contains three layers the what – the final product or service being offered (outer circle), the how- the differential strategy being utilized (middle layer), and why- the inspiration behind the innovation (innermost layer). A purpose drives great leaders, and they express it articulately to make others to buy in their dreams; they think from inside out of the circle. The majority of the population foster their loyalty to a cause they can relate and believe. When people can map their purpose to yours, a healthy relationship is forged. The laws of diffusion of innovation (adaption theory), the early and late majorities, are skeptical of innovation; hence they need to relate with the objective of a particular organization. Dr. Martin Luther King, Wright Brothers, and Steve Jobs- the founder of Apple are examples of leaders who understood the power of leading with purpose.
Going All In.
Leaders need to devise other constructive means to alter the operation of the organization rather than just contemplating on down-sizing the headcount. Hemerling explains that leaders should invest in developing leadership and talents. Innovation and transformation share traits; they are both tedious and extremely demanding, not to mention evolving venture. It is of paramount importance for leaders to be fully committed to the cause. Commitment is measured in the time invested in the project and the number of resources allocated. They should know the organization and its core mission for existence and how its operations are carried out. Knowledge is vital for deciding which activities will need more time and commitment.
Enable capabilities.
In her presentation, Danielle Moss talks about the untapped potential that exists within an organization. The ‘forgotten middle’ is the power engine of an organization, and their effects and commitment towards the institution often go unrecognized. Privileges are afforded to the top layer, forgetting the creative minds that are present in the forgotten middle. Leaders should come up with a mechanism of harnessing the opportunities availed by this group through leveling the playing grounds. A reshuffling of workers to areas they are most suited to is such a mean, according to Danielle Moss. Also, leaders should set higher expectations for the forgotten middle to challenge their abilities and instill a sense of accountability towards themselves, each other, and the general public at large. Finally, leaders should be good mentors by actively inflicting change.
Continuous learning.
Innovation is a continuous and complex venture that requires the individual in corporations to be at their A-game at all times. With new tools and technology arising each day, they require a team effort. Linda Hill talks of collective genius as a means of driving innovation and group learning. No one person can have all the answers to a problem, but collective thinking will guarantee better outcomes for a challenge. Companies that are increasing their knowledge share three capabilities; creative resolution, creative agility, and creative abrasion. A market place of ideas through constructive debates and discussions should be created. Reflection, design thinking, quick pursuit, and discovery-driven learning should also be encouraged. Emphasis should be given to experimentation rather than piloting a process.
Leadership style.
The last item on Jim Hemerling’s list was the style of leadership an organization has. Leaders should understand their employees. A fine line exists between leaders and those who lead, according to Simon Sinek. Employees need to feel a sense of belonging for them to build trust with the organization. One method of cementing trust and championing innovation within an organization is through creative plays. Tim Brown establishes a relationship between creativity and plays through trust. Brown’s three modules of play are playful exploration, playful building, and role-playing. Leaders should encourage play and possess a vision- a clear roadmap. Inclusivity is a vital element of innovation. Finally, leaders should be directive and driven by purpose.
As an aspiring and enthusiastic leader, adaptive leadership is dear to me because of the advantages it brings into an organization. This style of leadership incorporates all members of the organization and aids them in understanding the root of recurring challenges. It also opens pathways for better comprehension between hierarchical strata and provides room for experimental that can result in fixing the problems in the long run. My guiding principles are self-motivation, teamwork, inclusion, and helping those in need of my assistance. Adoptive leadership frameworks are in-line with my values. Inspire through purpose, going all in, enable capabilities to achieve the goal, instilling a culture of continuous learning, and leadership style framework and approaches are all human-centered. They are designed with the employee in mind; they serve to make his or her experience more pleasant while working. Good leaders should be driven by their purpose and invite and empower others to believe in their vision by enhancing their capabilities, providing mentorship, and persuading them to grow via continuous learning. The mark I intend to leave as my legacy is a great leader who empowered others to be the best versions of themselves through high expectations and holding them accountable for their actions.