Thoughts on Adaptive Change Steve Loraine

Adaptive Change “The hope of leadership lies in the capacity to deliver disturbing news and raise difficult questions in a way that people can absorb, prodding them to take up the message rather than ignore it or kill the messenger.” Heifetz & Linsky, in ‘Leadership On The Line’

Adaptive Change Everyday we have problems that we have the necessary know-how to handle. These are technical problems. Everyday we have problems that we have the necessary know-how to handle. These are technical problems. Some problems are not amenable to authoritative expertise or standard procedures. These are adaptive challenges. Some problems are not amenable to authoritative expertise or standard procedures. These are adaptive challenges. They require experiments, new discoveries and adjustments from across the organisation or community. They require experiments, new discoveries and adjustments from across the organisation or community.

Adaptive Change To meet adaptive challenges people need to learn new ways, attitudes, behaviours and values. To meet adaptive challenges people need to learn new ways, attitudes, behaviours and values. At the beginning of adaptive change people see clearly the potential for loss, not that the new situation will be better than the current condition. At the beginning of adaptive change people see clearly the potential for loss, not that the new situation will be better than the current condition.

Adaptive Change The deeper the change and the greater the amount of new learning required, the more resistance there will be and the greater the danger to those who lead. The deeper the change and the greater the amount of new learning required, the more resistance there will be and the greater the danger to those who lead. People try to avoid the danger by treating an adaptive challenge as if it were a technical one. People try to avoid the danger by treating an adaptive challenge as if it were a technical one.

Adaptive Change Adaptive work creates risk, conflict and instability. Addressing the issues underlying adaptive challenges may involve upending deep and entrenched norms. Adaptive work creates risk, conflict and instability. Addressing the issues underlying adaptive challenges may involve upending deep and entrenched norms. Leadership requires disturbing people but at a rate they can absorb. Leadership requires disturbing people but at a rate they can absorb. To change the way people do things is to challenge how they define themselves. To change the way people do things is to challenge how they define themselves.

The Faces of Danger “When people resist adaptive work, their goal is to shut down those who exercise leadership in order to preserve what they have” Heifetz & Linsky, in ‘Leadership On The Line’

The Faces of Danger Marginalisation – personalising an issue, I.e. becoming the issue Marginalisation – personalising an issue, I.e. becoming the issue Diversion – broadening your agenda, overwhelming it, disrupting the game plan Diversion – broadening your agenda, overwhelming it, disrupting the game plan Attack – on style or character submerges the issue. For the most part people attack you when they dislike the message Attack – on style or character submerges the issue. For the most part people attack you when they dislike the message Seduction – losing your sense of purpose and desiring approval of your supporters Seduction – losing your sense of purpose and desiring approval of your supporters

Things to Watch Out for Seduction, marginalisation, diversion, attack Seduction, marginalisation, diversion, attack These reduce the disequilibrium that would be generated were people to address the issues These reduce the disequilibrium that would be generated were people to address the issues They retain the familiar, restore order and protect people from the pain of adaptive work They retain the familiar, restore order and protect people from the pain of adaptive work Leadership requires reverence for the pains of change, recognition of the manifestations of danger and the skill to respond Leadership requires reverence for the pains of change, recognition of the manifestations of danger and the skill to respond