Adaptive Leadership: A Brief Definition

We live in a society that is both fast paced and convenient.  From 24 hour drive-thrus, to cell phone sized internet, to super grocery stores, to drive-thru pharmacies and dry cleaners, our world is definitely changing.  Depending on whom you ask when, this may be good but it also may be very bad.  However, no matter how you view these modern changes, one thing is certain “as the pace of change in society continues to accelerate, all organizations are facing the pressure to determine how they must adjust, renew, and alter themselves, sometimes in radical ways, in order to remain viable.”[1] As a former business owner, I could not agree more.  Even the church faces this current dilemma.  The church is forced to contend with the issue of relevancy amidst these changing and chaotic times.  So where does this leave us as leaders?

            It should not surprise us that as organizations are forced to continually change, re-evaluate, shift, and continually scan the horizon for what lies ahead, we as leaders must do the very same thing.  We must be open to change, continually re-evaluating ourselves and our leadership for what lies ahead. Today one may need to be the authoritarian leader who alone has to make the difficult decisions and tomorrow this same leader may need to be the charismatic leader whose “inspiration and creativity are provided....in an independent style.”[2] Above all though “leaders cannot remain static in organizations that are adapting and growing,”[3] rather they must become as adaptable as the organizations they seek to lead.  Michaelson states, “because of the pace of change today, it may well be the case that we don’t need different types of leaders as much as we need people who can lead in different types of ways.”[4]

            This practice is referred to as the practice of adaptive leadership.  As we begin to examine this practice, I stand atop a rabbit hole and peer deep within recalling my first RCA Classis examination.  Allow me to side track ever so slightly to bring this story into focus.  It was during a rather intense examination process that the art of leadership centered around me specifically.  Prior to this exact point, I indeed had always considered myself a leader.  After all, I had successfully run a small business for a number of years before establishing and running a 501c3 not for profit organization.  Yet never had I stopped to consider exactly what type of leader I really was.  However, on this particular day, during the examination, the proctor asked specifically “Derek, what type of leader are you?”  Answering as best I could, totally unprepared for the coming moments, I replied “It totally depends on the situation and what is called for in the particular situation.”  To wit the proctor responded, “No, you certainly will lead with one particular style- what is your style?”  Again, I replied as before, “It completely and totally depends on the situation.  I do not have just one style!”  Thus, the battle began, a battle that wound up reaching a stalemate thirty awkward minutes later.  I share this simply to say had I had words to describe myself as an adaptive leader, or if I simply knew what this meant, I could have avoided this awkward moment in the exam room.  I also share this to say that there seems to be a changing of the guard as it were.  Previously leaders could pick a style of leadership that best fit their personality and lead in that particular manner.  However, to be a great leader in today’s ever-changing culture much more is required.  Although “leadership is...essential for a group to...accomplish its mission, leaders are most effective when they have the wisdom and security to adapt their style of leadership to the dynamics of their organization and the requirements of their mission over time.”[5]  Thus, adaptive leadership becomes a primary style of leadership among today’s great leaders.

            But,  just what exactly is adaptive leadership?  In their book: The Practice of Adaptive Leadership, Heifetz, Grashow, and Linsky define adaptive leadership as the “practice of mobilizing people to tackle tough challenges and thrive.”[6] Adding further they define the term thriving as having three primary characteristics: “(1) it preserves the DNA essential for...continued survival; (2) it discards (re-regulates or rearranges) the DNA that no longer serves the (organization’s/ organism’s) current needs; (3) it creates DNA arrangements that give the (organization’s/ organism’s) the ability to flourish in new ways and in more challenging environments.”[7] Thus, at its base, an adaptable leader knows how “to take the best (practices and methodology) from (their organization’s) history (and move forward) into the future”[8] in new and exciting ways without losing sight of the mission or the values that guide the mission. Adding onto this, the adaptive leader not only does the above mentioned well they also empower others to journey with them, making important decisions along the way, thereby cultivating “a shared sense of allegiance and trust...among...all.”[9] It may be of further help to identify the best adaptive leader of all, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Is this not exactly what Jesus did during his earthly ministry here on earth? In regards to the three above mentioned areas: (1) he upheld the Torah as being of significant worth, stating “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.”  (Matthew 5:17 NRSV); (2) he did away with the legalism of the Pharisees who were content to chain the teaching of the Torah by unrealistic expectation; (3) and each time Jesus stripped something away from the Pharisees teachings, he gave it back to the people in a healthy new way.  Additionally, Jesus did all of this while inviting people to journey with him. He specifically chose the twelve disciples, pouring himself into them, but he also allowed the crowds to join in the journey he was on.  Jesus is the best example of an adaptive leader.

            Now, although no doubt, this is but a brief overview of the practice of adaptive leadership and many more words could be written in this regard, I have sought merely to begin the conversation of what adaptive leadership is and what it looks like.  I invite, and in fact, challenge you to dig deeper into this all-important topic of leadership on your own.  And, in Jesus’ own words, “Follow me...” as you begin to consider what adaptive leadership can bring to your own organization and life.

For today, this is my view from The Road Less Traveled.    

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[1] Granberg-Michaelson, Wesley.  Leadership From Inside Out.  New York, NY: Crossroad Publishing Company, 2004.  Page 127

[2] Ibid, Page 129

[3] Ibid, Page 130

[4] Ibid, Page 131

[5] Ibid, Page 135

[6] Heifetz, Ronald, Alexander Grashow, and Marty Linsky.  The Practice of Adaptive Leadership.  Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business Press, 2009.  Page 14

[7] Ibid, Page 14

[8] Ibid, Page 14

[9] Granberg-Michaelson, Wesley.  Leadership From Inside Out.  New York, NY: Crossroad Publishing Company, 2004.  Page 134

Part of the Family

            I've spent plenty of time this semester pondering this strange thing called "call.”  What does it mean that we are "called," particularly to this office and vocation of ministry?  As of right now, I cannot answer this other than to say that I simply cannot do anything else.  Therefore, I guess I am indeed being called to the life of being a pastor.  Going forward with a clear sense of call indeed helps me begin dreaming about the type of church I long to lead.  Having had several opportunities to be involved in numerous churches through the years I can honestly state that I long to be a part of a family.

            I would love to say that developing the type of congregation that willingly journeys, as a quasi-family through life, celebrating joys, mourning losses, and everything else family does well would be an easy task.  The reality however, I know, is much different.  This I have witnessed first-hand, as I have been involved with numerous church families, some that were great family units, and others that, sadly, were not so great.  One thing I have noticed in all places is that largely the leader acts as the example, whether admittedly or not.  Their actions set the tone for how the church acts and operates.  It's as if the sheep follow their shepherd.  Yes, I do know that there are numerous examples that may prove otherwise, but grant that nine times of ten this is indeed the case.  If we grant this than we begin to see just why it is so important for the leader to lead, leading the way they wish the church to follow.  For me this is the biggest intimidation I have with being the established leader.  Simply put, I do not always want others to follow me.  I fear the blind leading the blind analogy.  Yet, this is exactly the role for which I am called.  

          

            Added into the present reality that engulfs me is the force of cultural conditioning that stands as a stark contrast against what the Church represents.  Culture screams for an independent reality that claims individual isolation.  Late seventies rock group Simon and Garfunkel topped the charts with a song where they belted out the lyrics, "I am a rock, I am an island...and a rock fells no pain and an island never cries.”  (Yes, I am old enough to remember the lyrics)  Not much has changed in the decades since this song's popularity and yet the church, you and I as leaders, preach an all together different message.  The church asks you to belong to a larger family of saints from all ages.  As young leaders, we ourselves are just emerging from the cultural fog that has enveloped us and are beginning to understand the truth of these statements.  Which just forces us to stop and ask, how do we lead well against these cultural forces holding up a much different reality.

            Yet, as leaders, we are forced even beyond cultural conditioning and must  contend even further with our own limitations.  For not only has culture had a shaping influence upon us, but our own past brings to bear, unless redeemed and liberated from by gone mistakes, on our present and future leadership as well.  For me personally, this comes into significant focus as it regards the issue of trust.  Inherent in any family system is an underlying current of trust.  A "good" family simply cannot be built without a certain base level of trust existing.  Owing in large account to past failures in my life, I am a bit apprehensive of people.  I simply do not fully trust people for quite some time.  It is healthy, I feel, to have a certain amount of apprehension but when this leads to distancing and lack of engagement with others it poses a problem.  It's this level of detachment that at times can be palpably felt by others, I know, I have been told as much.  Consequently, as I previously stated, since sheep follow the shepherd if I remain off-standish then should I expect any less of my congregation?  This for me then becomes one of the biggest issues I specifically need to ask God's light to shine into and illuminate for me so it does not mark my leadership going forward from here. 

            

            Who knows where God will choose to place me.  One thing I do know is that he already has the end of my seminary journey planned out, specifically for me.  I journey forward in faith, and trust knowing that sometime soon I will in fact take my stand inside of a church in Somewhere, America, embraced and loved by my new extended family.

Today this is my view from the Open Road.

"911- What is your emergency?"

I spent several years as an EMT, emergency medical technician, for our city's volunteer fire department.  One of the first accessories I received from the city, even before obtaining the dress uniform, was a fire pager.  This was legit.  This small tiny black box strapped precariously to my side represented a life I was willingly taking for myself.  This life was about being needed.  Therefore, no matter when the pager sounded, whether during family dinner or at 2 am in the morning, the response was always the same.  I would run, dashing past whoever was around, jump in the truck, hit the lights and siren, and fly off to wherever the call had come from.  Always with the realization that I may be called on to perform life-saving measures.

Although no longer an EMT, I often think back to these days with fondness.  In fact, strangely, I often hear the echoes of that little black pager I carried so long ago.  The dispatcher's crackling voice coming across the airwaves, "69 year old female, fallen, unresponsive...." and with an address given see myself jumping in my trusty white Chevy, red lights twistingly piercing the dark of night and siren blaring, as I race to be the hero.

Now, please don't hear me say that there's anything wrong with a small amount of what is often regarded as hero complex.  In fact, I think we all need to have a small degree of this heroic desire deep within each of us.  After all, it's this desire that compels us in our striving to create the type of world that Jesus himself prayed for, "...thy kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven.”  Were we to lack the desire to be about something that is much bigger than we are, namely to be God's visible representation here on earth, then what would be the point of continually trying to improve this present reality?  However, I also wonder what happens when we try to perform this way with impure motives.  Worse yet, do we always know when our motives are in fact impure?  Sadly, I think the answer to this question is a resounding "no.”  We do not always understand when we are operating from impure, selfish motives.  Thus, consequently, we run stuck more often than we would like to admit.    

As leaders, and I believe we all have the tendency towards being leaders, we must understand when we run stuck.  We simply cannot operate effectively from this position.  Running stuck leads to feelings of frustration, hopelessness, and fear.  With these feelings in tow we often operate from positions of reactivity rather than proactively, from a position of fear rather than from a position of trust.  Worse yet, when we try to lead from the stuck position we only fool ourselves.  How much better is it if we address the cause of this stuckness rather than continually spinning our wheels with no traction?  As Michaelson states in his book Leadership From Inside Out, "At times we need to uncover why we are who we are, and in the process"[1] we may well discover some areas of soul damage that await the Father's healing touch.

This process of looking deep within ourselves is a process towards discovery.  Buried deep within are all the pains of past failures, the bruises of unresolved conflicts, the burdens of past mistakes.  All of these we bury in an effort to preserve our outward appearance.  Yet, without addressing these pains, bruises, and burdens, we grant them opportunity to fester and create disease within our very nephesh, our very being.  As these festering diseases continue to grow worse, they begin dominating us.  Thus, as they dominate, we begin to exhibit negative behaviors externally, compromising our ability to lead.  It is in this compromise that our trust and respect are cast asunder.

How much better if we know ourselves as leaders well enough that these demons no longer possess the ability to jeopardize our leadership.  Undoubtedly, "those....(in) leadership...are under an obligation to know themselves."[2] Self-awareness, no matter how many demons may lie in wait within the dark recesses of our soul, has the further advantage, not only of removing the obstacles we may inadvertently place in our own way as we lead, it also helps us focus solely on our Heavenly Father's work in our lives.  Self awareness shows us that even though we are fallen far from the graces of God we still are "fundamentally loved, accepted, and forgiven."[3] Romans 5:8 tells us, "But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.”  It is this boundless love of God for us that we are called to nurture and extend both to ourselves as well as to those we lead.  Thus, we are, and must remain, "rooted and grounded in the gracious presence of God's boundless love."[4]

Theologian Henri Nouwen, in his book Return of the Prodigal Son, offers these words to us as leaders: "As the Beloved, I can confront, console, admonish, and encourage without fear of rejection or need of affirmation.  As the Beloved, I can suffer persecution without desire for revenge and receive praise without using it as a proof of my own goodness.”  Finalizing this logic Michaelson states, "[5]Such knowledge of the heart is the final goal of the journey for any who seek the inner freedom of knowing who and whose they are, and then freely and graciously offering the gift of themselves in their service and leadership of others."[6] Amen, may it be so.

Today this is my view from the road less traveled.   

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[1] LFIO, page 51

[2] LFIO, Pg. 52

[3] LFIO, Pg. 54

[4] LFIO, Pg. 55

[5] Ibid

[6] Ibid