Leadership undergoes change during critical and disruptive times and thriving in the face of challenge will prepare one to take on the process of change.

Both terms - Adaptive leadership, and Change Management - are interdependent.

Adaptive leadership helps solve both, common and uncommon business issues that require change. The moment HR leaders talk about change in the organization, the first thought among employees is that there is a negative connotation attached to it. More often than not, it is mistaken as a process of  layoff or retrenchment. At the same time, when we talk of Adaptive leadership, a lot of people construe it to be a training program that the HR team is coming up with. Both concepts Adaptive leadership, and Change Management - are two sides of the same coin.

Collaboration, innovation, strategic orientation and thinking out-of-the-box play a big role in successfully identifying and addressing challenges. 

During a crisis, an Adaptive leader will quickly assess the situation whereas the traditional leader might tend to focus on a single solution. 

An Adaptive leader will evaluate all possible solutions, whereas the traditional leader will be resistant to change.

An Adaptive leader will select the best option and quickly implement the same, while the traditional leader might be bogged down with too many details.

An Adaptive leader monitors the situation and makes necessary arrangements whereas the traditional leader might find it difficult to adapt to the changing situation.

The newer world's workforce is divided into 4 categories, namely:

Red World

This is all about speed and innovation. Technology will be used to connect with people to enable the best brains and ideas.

Blue World

Corporate is the King; Skills will be brought in as and when needed. 70% of existing jobs will be replaced by technology.

Green World

Primary focus is on society and corporate responsibility.

Yellow World

Humanity is hugely valued. 

HR leaders today face challenges in embracing the above workforce distribution. Each leader needs to lead with empathy and purpose, thereby aligning their team to the larger organizational goals. To manage each of the above worlds requires a distinct style of Adaptive leadership with a clear vision for the future. 

For adaptive leaders the following 4 'A's are important in ensuring they lead with a sense of value and purpose:

Anticipation of likely future needs, trends and options.

Articulation of needs to build collective understanding and support for action.

Adaptation for continuous learning and adjustment.

Accountability to include maximum transparency in decision making processes and openness to challenges and feedback.

When a leader initiates Change in a complex scenario, and in the right direction, the real change management process begins. 

Change within an organization could be anywhere; it could pertain to culture, infrastructure, technology, hierarchy or any other critical aspect.

Change management can be either Adaptive or Transformational.

Adaptive changes are small, gradual changes which an organization undertakes to evolve its products, processes, workflows or strategies. E.g. hiring ramp-up's by HR to ensure business continuity.

Transformational change on the other hand refers to a Change which is sudden or dramatic. E.g. automating or changing the HR software within the organization.

Here are a few pointers pertaining to Change, that help make it successful:

Preparing the organization for Change

HR has a crucial role in being the change evangelist. They have the arduous task of conveying the said change to different stakeholders within the organization, including the senior leadership, other managers, and the employees as a whole. A buy-in from relevant stakeholders prior to implementing the Change is necessary to avoid friction at a later date.

Clear Vision & Plan

Once the organization is ready for the Change, the Managers must develop a thorough and realistic plan for making it happen.

Implement Change

implementing the required change - pertaining to company structure, systems, strategies, processes, technology, employee behaviours - through training.

Inscribe Changes with the company culture and practices

Many a times whenever a change is implemented in an organization, it might backtrack, or the respective employees might continue following the old ways. Change managers need to prevent this reversal; otherwise, the intended Change might never truly manifest.

Review programs and analyze results

If a change is implemented, it does not mean it is successful. Conducting an analysis of the previous process and the current one, and the adoption to Change can help business leaders understand whether the Change initiative was a success, failure or a mixed bag.

In conclusion, everything in this world undergoes a change. If we embrace Change with an open heart, we stand to win. However, if we resist change, it will prevent us from becoming an Adaptive leader in any situation. 

As I like to say, 

“Change makes a leader adaptive.

  And Adaptive leaders know how to change"