I have been reflecting on an interesting article shared by Adel Gamar, Instructor with UBC Sauder School of Business, former policy fellow at Harvard Law School and John Larsen, Executive VP, Edelman, teaches at the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) on June 1, 2020 in the Vancouver Sun. 

It got me thinking about adaptive leadership that supports teams to manage change, by building a resilient culture, that allows for effective organizational, structural, and social adaptation.  It seems counterintuitive, but Gamar and Larsen suggest the place to start is by encouraging a level of disequilibrium. The lack of stability and uncertainty embedded in this approach can bring up the deepest fears in even the most courageous of leaders. Yet, it is exactly what is necessary to bring the team together, to make concrete progress on complex challenges. 

Rather than focus on the bounce back from COVID, getting your team focused on opportunities to adapt to the new reality, by focusing on the strategically important above the tactically urgent. These strategic leadership conversations inspire calm and confidence while motivating people to take actions. They focus the team’s thinking on specific strategic challenges and identifying supporting actions that can increase team alignment and cohesion that impact performance.

Last changed: 20/01/2023 at 11:11