Leadership
STYLES OF LEADERSHIP
T he Roman emperor and This embodies the approach of an adaptive leader. In a complex and uncertain world, adaptive leadership offers a route to success when many traditional leadership models fall short. This was particularly evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, when healthcare organisations, governments, and businesses were constantly forced to evolve to meet new challenges. And it is equally applicable to the challenges that business leaders face today, be it Donald Trump hitting US trading partners with new tariffs and scrapping diversity and inclusion initiatives, the impact of generative AI, or environmental reporting. Adaptive leadership offers a philosopher Marcus Aurelius famously said that obstacles do not block the path; they are the path. dynamic framework to thrive in these rapidly changing environments by emphasising flexibility, collaboration, and innovation. It is more than a set of skills or processes – it is a mindset. This allows organisations to thrive in rapidly changing environments by fostering creativity and resilience, rather than simply responding to change. It also promotes a culture of experimentation that empowers teams to learn from failure, adapt, and uncover ground-breaking solutions that drive progress. Here are five steps to embrace an adaptive leadership style. 1 Encourage a collaborative approach Collaboration is a cornerstone of adaptive leadership. Leaders need to build diverse, cross-functional teams that offer unique perspectives and break down silos to encourage open communication. By fostering environments where
team members feel comfortable sharing ideas without fear of judgement, leaders leverage collective intelligence to co-create innovative and sustainable solutions. They also excel at mobilising collective action to address complex challenges. Adaptive leaders align teams and stakeholders around a shared vision, build partnerships across sectors, and encourage grassroots initiatives that empower individuals. The collaboration between governments, healthcare providers, and pharmaceutical companies during vaccine development in the COVID-19 pandemic allowed them to remove potential barriers and roll out the vaccines as quickly and safely as possible. This helped to reduce the number of casualties and lift lockdown restrictions, exemplifying the effectiveness of adaptive leadership and collective action. 2 Commit to ongoing learning and growth Japanese businesses often embrace a philosophy called kaizen, which involves employees at all levels of the company identifying small changes to drive continuous improvement. Adaptive leaders should adopt a similar approach, continuously gathering feedback from their teams and stakeholders to identify potential insights. They view both success and failure as opportunities for growth, fostering a culture of curiosity and empowering team members to explore new ideas. During the COVID-19 pandemic, successful leaders adjusted their strategies based on emerging data, demonstrating the power of adaptive thinking. A distinguishing feature of adaptive leadership is its focus on addressing root causes rather than surface-
level issues. This approach delves deeper to analyse the challenges that organisations face and create sustainable solutions and systems. By resolving those underlying problems, adaptive leaders ensure their organisations remain relevant in an ever-changing environment. 3 Build resilience Focusing on the big picture is another key strength of adaptive leaders. They balance short-term adjustments with long-term goals, ensuring their teams remain aligned with overarching objectives. This holistic perspective helps organisations stay on course, even during periods of uncertainty. Take budget airline Ryanair, for example. It continues to achieve levels of profitability that are unheard of in the industry and is the only company in the sector that has returned to pre-pandemic efficiency levels. Meanwhile, its competitors continue to contend with higher costs created by their actions at the peak of the crisis. Leaders who prioritise learning and flexibility provide the tools for their organisations to recover from setbacks and maintain sustainable operations, allowing them to thrive in turbulent times. 4 Foster trust and accountability Trust and accountability are fundamental to effective leadership. Adaptive leaders need to maintain open communication about their decisions and the rationale behind them. Those channels of communication must flow in both directions. Adaptive leaders welcome feedback and acknowledge when mistakes have been made. This transparent and inclusive approach enhances engagement, builds trust, and motivates team members.
Turbulence How to use adaptive leadership in challenging times by Aikaterini Grimani
Warwick Business School | wbs.ac.uk
wbs.ac.uk | Warwick Business School
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