What is adaptive leadership?

Ronald Heifetz, Marty Linsky and Alexander Grashow introduced adaptive leadership theory in the 1990s. According to this theory, one of the reasons it’s so difficult to make transformational changes is that leaders often fail to separate technical problems from adaptive problems.

Heifetz and Linsky define a technical problem as a challenge you can overcome with some type of technical fix. For example, if one of your products has a high failure rate due to a problem with the manufacturing process, you may be able to solve the problem by purchasing new equipment. This is an expensive fix but also a rather simple one.

You often can’t solve adaptive challenges with technical fixes alone, as they have many moving parts. To solve an adaptive challenge, be open to new ways of thinking. You also have to think objectively about the past and determine if you need to choose a different path forward.

Related: Inspiring Leadership: What Every Manager Should Know

Components of the adaptive leadership model

Adaptive leadership has three key components. Ensure you understand them before attempting to implement the model in your business.

1. Determine what to keep and what to let go

Before you make decisions, understand where your company has been and where it’s going. Take a close look at your processes and determine if they work well or need to be overhauled.

For example, if you’ve been using the same production process for the last 30 years, consider thinking about whether it continues to serve your interests. Maybe the process isn’t as efficient as it could be, or maybe you’re finding it difficult to hire employees with the skills needed to complete it successfully. Just because you’ve been doing it the same way for 30 years doesn’t mean you need to keep doing it that way.

The same rule applies to your organizational structure. If your company has been in business for several decades, you may still be using the traditional hierarchical structure, which has a well-defined chain of command. The hierarchical structure has some benefits, but it’s not appropriate for every organization. Before embracing adaptive leadership theory, ensure your current structure is a good fit for your needs.

2. Take calculated risks

Adaptive leadership is about experimenting to see what works and what doesn’t. Therefore, you must be willing to take calculated risks. For example, if your company is losing market share, you may want to consider launching a new product or expanding into a new territory. These are calculated risks because the potential benefits outweigh the potential costs.

3. Make adjustments as needed

It’s important to monitor new systems and processes carefully. If something isn’t working as intended, you can always change it again later. Adaptive leaders work closely with team members to ensure that things run smoothly.

7 principles of adaptive leadership

To make adaptive leadership work for your organization, consider these seven principles.

1. Encourage continuous learning

As noted previously, change is one of the most important components of adaptive leadership. As things change, your employees may have to apply new skills or adjust their work styles. One way to make this process a little less painful is to encourage continuous learning.

In some organizations, employees only receive training when they’re required to learn a new skill or follow a new policy. Instead of reserving training only for specific policies or skills, consider promoting continuous learning opportunities to give employees more chances to generate new ideas.

2. Improve your communication processes

Under the adaptive leadership model, effective communication is essential. Encourage employees to share their ideas, motivate them to embrace change and empower them to take ownership of their projects. If necessary, update your communication processes to ensure everyone has the information they need to succeed.

3. Embrace change

Change is inevitable, especially when you’re implementing the adaptive leadership model. If it makes you feel uncomfortable, you’ll struggle to transform your organization. Instead of seeing change as an obstacle, see it as an opportunity. Your next change may help you solve a complex problem or develop a profitable new product.

4. Keep an open mind

When determining what to keep and what to let go, it’s important to keep an open mind. Some leaders struggle to end programs or update processes that they created. If you want your company to benefit from adaptive leadership, however, learn to embrace change. Your company’s needs are always shifting, so what worked well a few years ago may need to be updated.

5. Seek input from employees

Your employees are the ones who implement your directives, so it’s essential to get their input on major decisions. For example, suppose you’re debating the merits of buying a new machine versus renting the machine. In that case, production employees should be able to tell you how often the machine breaks down, how long it typically takes to repair and how much maintenance the machine needs.

This type of input can help you determine if it’s cheaper to buy and maintain the machine yourself or rent it from a company that handles all maintenance and repairs.

6. Increase your emotional intelligence

Emotional intelligence is your ability to perceive and manage emotions. For example, if you encounter a problem at work, you must be able to manage it appropriately. Look for opportunities to include your team in your search for a solution and provide them with a transparent view of your thought process.

To increase your emotional intelligence, consider these tips:

• Reflect on your behavior in a variety of professional situations.

• Take responsibility for your emotions instead of blaming others for how you feel.

• Celebrate positive milestones.

• Pay attention to how your body reacts to negative emotions.

• Ask a career coach for unbiased feedback.

7. Experiment as often as possible

Adaptive leadership is all about experimentation. To use it successfully, get into the habit of testing new approaches whenever possible. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on new equipment or create a new position. Experiment with different variables to see which ones lead to measurable improvements.

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Pros and cons of adaptive leadership

One of the main advantages of adaptive leadership is that it helps you see change as something positive instead of something negative. If you embrace change, employees may start to view change as an opportunity for growth. Adaptive leadership also promotes innovation, encouraging leaders and their followers to adapt to changes in the marketplace rather than fighting them.

Despite these benefits, adaptive leadership does have some potential drawbacks. For example, it’s difficult to be objective when assessing your company’s policies, procedures and processes. Adaptive leadership also transfers power from just a few people to every member of the organization. Some managers may require some time to adapt to this change and may behesitant to embrace this leadership model at first. In such cases, you may need to spend time with them to clearly explain the advantages adaptive leadership brings to them and the company.

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