A short presentation on Heifetz's 'adaptive leadership'. ...Geoff

1. Leading Adaptive Change Geoff Higgins

2. Adaptive Leadership ? What does ‘adapt’ mean? What could ‘adaptive leadership’ mean?

3. Conventional Leadership Directing activity Providing authoritative expertise Protecting the workers ‘leadership by solution’

4. Heifetz’ EPA Story William Ruckelshaus re-energising EPA Pollution – Asarco copper plant near Tacoma EPA expected to make a ruling based on available science (& maybe a bit of politics) Science cannot answer: health vs livelihood Controversial new approach: ask the community New possibilities – diversification EPA & the Tacoma community adapted Source: Heifetz, 1994 Image source: ft.com

5. Conventional or Adaptive? Conventional Leadership The exercise of authority Maintenance of norms Giving directions Used when you are confident your directions will result in useful outcomes Working within organisational competencies

6. Conventional or Adaptive? Conventional Leadership The exercise of authority Maintenance of norms Giving directions Used when you are confident your directions will result in useful outcomes Working within organisational competencies Adaptive Leadership Addressing adaptive challenges Challenging norms Involving primary stakeholders Used in situations of complexity & uncertainty Working outside organisational competencies

7. The Adaptive Challenge aspirations GAP reality

8. The Adaptive Challenge GAP Image sources: backtogeek.com & Thomas Connor at flickr.com

9. The Adaptive Challenge GAP Image sources: mindflash.com & getentrepreneurial.com

11. Habits

12. Mindset

13. LifestyleNot Drinking “drinking is killing me”

14. Adaptive Leadership Understand that change will be difficult.

15. Adaptive Leadership Understand that change will be difficult. Find out WHY the gap exists.

16. Adaptive Leadership Understand that change will be difficult. Find out WHY the gap exists. Work with others to figure out HOW to close the gap.

17. Adaptive Leadership Understand that change will be difficult. Find out WHY the gap exists. Work with others to figure out HOW to close the gap. Have the COURAGE to experiment & implement!

18. To Do’s for the Leader Identify ‘the adaptive challenge’ Regulate distress Maintain disciplined attention Give the work back to people ‘Get off the dance floor & onto the balcony’ Source: Heifetz et al, 2009

19. 1. Identify ‘the adaptive challenge’ Diagnose the situation & clearly communicate the challenge.

20. 2. Regulate distress Expose people to the real issues, while giving them attention and support.

21. 3. Maintain disciplined attention Keep people focussed on the work.

22. 4. Give the work back to people Involve people (as per Ricardo Semler).

23. 5. Get off the dance floor… Frequently stand back from the detail and analyse what you see.

24. References Heifetz, RA & Laurie, DL (2001) ‘The Work of Leadership’ in Harvard Business Review December 2001. Heifetz, RA, Grashow, A & Linsky, M (2009)The Practice of Adaptive Leadership, Harvard University Press. Heifetz, RA (1994) Leadership Without Easy Answers, Belknap Press, Mass.

25. www.performancepeople.com.au