As catalysts of change in the driver’s seat, leaders are responsible for guiding incremental growth and evolution throughout the organisation. From the march towards digitization to the ups and downs of the economy, followed by a global pandemic, challenges facing the corporate sector are aplenty. Leadership in the post pandemic period requires deeply embedded qualities of agility, adaptability and clarity. 

Harvard professors Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky, while writing about adaptive leadership in their groundbreaking and highly cited book The Practice of Adaptive Leadership, mention cultivating a democratic work culture in organisations. The authors explain leadership as “The practice of mobilizing people to tackle tough challenges and thrive”. It works by leaders adopting certain attributes and imbibing certain values that would enable them to harness, in the most effective way, the talents, and abilities of their staff in order to produce optimum results for the organisation they are a part of.

Efficacious change management is an integral part of adaptive leadership. It helps organisations adapt quickly to changing circumstances by creating environments that foster creativity and innovation. Every organisation has a different appetite for change, and a great leadership team makes it easier for an organisation to transform how it works. It not only introduces change but also ensures that people are willing and able to accept these changes to do better work and produce better results.

It is no surprise that in this dynamic age of unprecedented and unforeseeable social and cultural changes (resulting in a greater emphasis on accountability and transparency) coupled with rapid technological advancements, organisations have been forced to re-evaluate their foundational structures and change them as needed. 

A flexible structure, compounded by a democratic leadership approach is beneficial and makes space for innovation at the workspace. 

Constantly evolving and volatile environments require organisations to improvise and be spontaneous in coming up with simple easy-to-implement solutions. This is where adaptive leadership helps so the leader can take stock of the problem and then mobilize resources to solve the problem collaboratively. To make this model a success, it is necessary that leaders inculcate a set of skills and behaviors that invites collaboration:

An open mind

One must listen to those who have a differing viewpoint. This requires having an open mind, a flexible attitude, and an understanding that collaboration and cooperation are necessary to deliver better outcomes. 

Provide Perspective

A good leader is one who can step back from the humdrum of everyday work life and look at the bigger picture. This enables them to identify what is working and what is not working in their organisation. With this perspective, the leader is able to guide their teams to rethink their approach, helping them to realign and focus on the larger objective.

Drive Innovation

We’ve all been through uncertain times in the recent past. It is essential that organisations and leaders keep innovation at the heart of everything they do, even during times of uncertainty. Building innovation into products and processes is the secret that will help organisations navigate through evolving environments and emerge not only unscathed but flourishing.

Sensitivity and emotional intellect

Change is not easy to accept. Especially for those who benefit in some way or another from the status quo, even if the organisation, in general, doesn’t benefit from it. It is essential then that a leader can introduce changes in a way that is acceptable to everyone in the team. 

Spontaneity and capacity to deal with crises

An agile leader must think fast and be open to solutions that seem unconventional. The conviction to lead the team through choppy waters and the resilience to bounce back from failures can help build trust between the leader and their team. 

Adaptive leadership and change management necessitate a willingness to reconsider the foundations on which the organisation has been built and reconstruct the system on new dimensions. It requires the ability to look inward and accept the flaws and mistakes of the past, making way for an inclusive, efficient, and fruitful approach that puts the organisation before an individual.