What is Adaptive Leadership?
By WhyNot Partnering
It would be very nice indeed if running a business was plain sailing all the time, with everyone happy, productive and working effectively for the good of one and all.
But, of course, this is simply unrealistic and all too often factors outside your control can have a big impact on the day-to-day operations of your business… which is where the concept of adaptive leadership really comes into its own.
As Einstein so famously said (or which was so famously attributed to him),
“insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results”
Challenges are sure to present themselves over time and the key to overcoming them is to try out different approaches to see what works.
But all too often, organisations find themselves stuck in a repetitive pattern of behaviour, attempting to resolve complicated problems with ineffective solutions… flogging a dead horse, so to speak.
Maintaining the status quo and never thinking outside the box is sure to see you flounder, so if you keep seeing the same issues arise time and time again, it’s likely to do with how you’re looking at the problem. Change your perspective and you’re sure to see new opportunities for resolution.
The added benefit of adopting an adaptive leadership approach is that you and your people will become proficient in the skills required to tackle deep-rooted and complex challenges head on. This way of working can then be applied in different scenarios in the future, helping to build resilience into your organisation and giving you the capacity to respond effectively, no matter what.
Adaptive leaders are those who look at mistakes as learning opportunities, with progress not perfection the name of the game.
Mistakes are sure to be made but these can be used effectively to deliver shared learning opportunities, helping you to engage and inspire your teams, empowering them to take more responsibility and find the best solutions for the problems at hand.
And this, you’re sure to find, is one of the biggest keys to success when dealing with the complex problems that are behind your struggle in shifting your culture.
You need to prioritise collaboration across the board, building a culture of care, with trust and respect, helping your workforce feel valued and trusted and able to come to you with ideas of their own, with each and every individual committed to furthering the cause of the organisation, keen to find the best solutions.
When everyone feels connected, collective action is far easier to mobilise and results can be seen significantly quicker as a result, with staff members from throughout the organisation fully committed to the company, all working towards a common goal.
Effective adaptive leadership embraces the idea of inquiry and continuous learning, giving work back to your staff, and tapping into their knowledge of what is really happening and what needs to change.
To find out more about how to equip your teams with the skills they need, get in touch with WhyNot Partnering today.
