The 6 Principles of Adaptive Leadership

All organisations face a myriad of problems that need to be solved. Some of these can be remedied by quick and easy “technical’ solutions, such as implementing a new policy or restructuring a department. Unfortunately, the most important and difficult problems organisations face cannot be solved with technical solutions.

They are adaptive challenges, which require changing values, behaviours, beliefs, roles, relationships and approaches to work. A different kind of leadership is needed to meet adaptive challenges. When facing adaptive challenges, leaders must avoid providing solutions – especially if people are demanding quick action. Adaptive change is distressing, yet leaders must resist the urge to remove people’s distress.Principle 1: Get on the Balcony

In order to be effective, a leader must be able to get some distance from situations, and gain perspective.

Heifetz refers to this practice as “getting on the balcony” – to see the whole system and the patterns within that system. This allows leaders to grapple effectively with a challenge that is adaptive rather than technical.

Principle 2: Identify the Adaptive Challenge

Principle 3: Regulate Distress

Some things you can do to regulate distress:

Frame key questions

Allow the group to feel the pressure

Challenge current roles

Expose conflict

Challenge unproductive norms.

Principle 4: Maintain Disciplined Attention

Counteracting distractions such as scapegoating, denial, turf battles

Getting conflict out in the open, and use it as a source of creativity.

Deepening the debate; unbundle polarized issues, focus people on what they are responsible for

Protect those who raise hard questions, generate distress, and challenge people to rethink the issues at stake.

Principle 5: Give the Work Back

People will look to you to solve the problem.

Solving the problem restores equilibrium

The work of the leader is to instil self-confidence

Back people when they make mistakes

Dare others to take risks and responsibility

Principle 6: Protect the Voices of Leadership from the Below

Resist your urge to silence them – what might you be missing?

Examine your own reaction.

Protect those who raise hard questions, generate distress, and challenge people to rethink the issues at stake

Reference: National Excellence In Educational Leadership Initiative