My Adaptive Leadership Journey

             When I first picked up The Practice of Adaptive Leadership (2009), my first thought was, “oh, great, another theoretical leadership book to read.” But as I got deeper into it, I really came to appreciate how it was structured, and the various tools and techniques it offered. I have been able to use these adaptive leadership skills and hopefully will be able to implement more in the future. This book speaks to my leadership journey over the past few years, very well.

I normally do not like introductory sections of books; they often feel very superficial. But this book was different – and it gave me the pause to really consider what it was all about. When they began by saying that “answers cannot come from on high,” I really began to pay attention. This idea that we—those without power or position—could in fact orchestrate major change and exercise leadership was a brilliant, and daunting, concept. The introduction also gave a “how to” guide to using the book—a meta-leadership idea if I ever saw one. Giving people the information, the tools, the vision up front is very helpful.

Diagnosis and data collection underpin much of the adaptive leadership concept. And it is not one-time or static, but on-going. In fact, in order to stay nimble, continuous data collection is imperative if one is able to detect the (usually faint) signals of change at the fringes. The focus on data to help identify the larger patterns and help make the case for change is important. This course especially has focused my attention on the data collection, analysis, and feedback cycles.

Chapter 4 deals with “Diagnose the System.” This was a new concept for me and I appreciated that it stretched me in ways I had not envisioned. By seeing the organization as a system—a whole, inter-connected, complex series of structures, cultures, sub-cultures, and assumptions—I was better able to understand the adaptive challenges and potential areas of opportunity and resistance.  The book reinforces and elaborates on many of the conceptual issues I had encountered in previous agencies, especially my last one. The force of the status quo, its staying power, and the ability to become entrenched—without even knowing it—was another helpful marker for me. It gave me both the confidence and understanding that this is often a “long game.” The old saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” and the ability to change (especially in a large organization) “doesn’t happen on a dime,” as another saying goes.

A systematic, strategic approach also helps as we discover change opportunities.  A wise leader and friend asks: “how do you boil a lobster?” The answer: “Put him in cold water and then start to slowly turn the heat up over time.” Making slow, often subtle changes over time can have a major impact. But turning up the heat also involves crucial conversations and conflict. This was another learning point for me. Previously I had been afraid of conflict. I saw it as a negative; but I have come to realize that it is vitally important, if done correctly. The book was instrumental in this process. The seven steps to orchestrating conflict (pp. 152-153) were insightful and gave me a framework to work through these issues. I have to remind myself to be focused on the problem, not the personalities; their pushback often has a reasonable basis.

One of the most important parts of the book for me was the section on “Develop Leadership Capacity” (pp. 170-175) in the chapter on building an adaptive culture in an organization. Within this section, the idea of continuous learning and institutionalizing a belief in the value of reflective inquiry was critical. It helped me understand the importance of taking the questioning process—looking at past, present, and future—and engaging our minds to really think beyond the instant issues we are facing. Taking a broader, systematic, and more strategic approach to how we work is essential, and a guiding principle of the vision of our organizational leadership. Being able to put that into practice, by developing a guide to conducting “after-action reviews” and identifying and sharing best practices and lessons learned, is really the ultimate goal.

I could have used the concepts of adaptive leadership to help make small changes in my own area and sphere of influence, but the impacts would be significantly limited due to the factors I discussed above. As I reflect upon that time, the concept of “staying true to myself” was very helpful; I really became to focus on my core purpose and interest in leadership. Both the individual manager and the wider organization’s inability to support my leadership interests launched me to really explore the space on my own. I was able to see myself as a system (although I didn’t yet use those terms); it enabled me to see myself as a complex, inter-connected series of competing values and interests (p. 178), but also someone who yearned to better understand leadership, its implications, and have a positive impact on individuals and the broader organization.

Change is hard, both organizationally and personally. It requires an understanding of what is being lost, what is being gained, and the difficulties and complexities it presents. Being adaptive and leading that way requires these skills. It is necessary, given the constant churn and difficult situations society and organizations face these days. Working on the practice field and then seeing things from the balcony are essential to the reflection necessary to gain insight into what is working and what can be updated based on the situation. This is how we can become the best leaders for whatever context we face and gives us the tools and capabilities to confront the issues of our day.

 

Heifetz, R. A., Linsky, M., & Grashow, A. (2009). The practice of adaptive leadership: Tools and tactics for changing your organization and the world. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Review Press.

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