Implementing Adaptive Leadership

In our modern economy of reorganization, revolution, and change, adaptive leadership must be maintained in an organization in order to sustain its competitiveness and development. Management and administrative talent are also necessary for an organization to function properly however it is essential that adaptive leadership be cultivated to make the organization more ready for market and environmental changes. Although adaptive leaders have been associated with the “rocking the boat” notion, these leaders are the ones that drive positive change and organizational success(1). There are multiple characteristics that make an adaptive leader and various processes that an adaptive leader must perform.

Unlike managers and most administrators an adaptive leader is less focused on how to solve the problem than on how to get others to solve the problem. The leader also realizes that the power of change comes from those capable of coming up with solutions. Once an adaptive leader has developed solutions with their organization it then becomes their responsibility to convince the organizational members that they are capable of carrying out those solutions. Adaptive leaders promote changed thinking and reward members for solutions. Unfortunately, there are many issues involved in group projects and this requires adaptive leaders to be proficient in mediating opposing viewpoints, personalities, and communication styles. Another duty of the adaptive leader is to make sure that less powerful but important organization members are attended to. All in all, an adaptive leader must be prepared for controversy, conflict, long timeframes and setbacks(2,3).

There are four main techniques to the success of an adaptive leader. The first technique, Focusing Attention, is most concerned with getting members to pay attention to the issue at hand. The issue may be a problem, solution, or new project. Adaptive leaders may use creative ways to focus members’ attention. The second technique, Generating and Maintaining Productive Distress, addresses the issue that most adaptive problems often take a lot of time to resolve and progress comes in waves. The unstable progress usually distresses project members and requires an adaptive leader to harness the stress so that it doesn’t overwhelm the members. It should be noted that reasonable amounts of stress keep members on task. The third technique, Framing the Issues, is based on the fact that people must be able to see that complex, multifaceted problems present opportunities as well as difficulties. By framing the issue members can be more aware of issues that may arise and a general idea of what good will come from the project at hand. The fourth and last technique that must be mastered by an adaptive leader is the ability to Mediate Conflict Among Stakeholders. Sometimes the biggest obstacles of a project come from the most minute detail or discrepancy between stakeholders. Companies have collapsed under the pressure of change and controversy. Since organizations will host members with a variety of solutions it is essential that an adaptive leader be able to get them all moving in the same direction. Along the way there may be conflict across racial, cultural, or socioeconomic lines. The leader must squash conflict before it spins out of control and be accustomed to uncomfortable public controversies(4,5).
The development of an adaptive leader is resource intense and requires enthusiastic and motivated individuals. The aforementioned personality skills required are only a few of what constitute a true leader. Technique training for adaptive leadership helps them to successfully implement organizational change. All in all, the personality and characteristic skills as well as leadership techniques necessary to become an adaptive leader are not easy to come by but in the end will guide organizations in the proper direction.

References
1) Vicere, A. “The Strategic Leadership Imperative for Executive Development.” Human Resource Planning. Vol. 15 (1992) (accessed 10/16/07),
2) Daughtry-Weiss, D. “Technical versus Adaptive Leadership.” National Resource Center e-Newsletter. (3/29/05) (accessed 10/16/07),
3) Randall, L., Coakley, L. “Applying Adaptive Leadership to Successful Change Initiatives in Academia.” Leadership and Organizational Development Journal. Volume 24.4(2007) 325-335(accessed 10/16/07)
4) Heifetz, R., Kania, J., Kramer, M. “ Leading Boldly.” Stanford Social Innovation Review. (Winter 2004) (accessed 10/16/07)
5) Jamison, M. “Leadership and the Independent Regulator.” World Bank Policy Research Working Paper. (June 2005) (accessed 10/16/07)