Adaptive Leadership:People, Process and Pipeline

February 12, 2015

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People, Process and Pipeline

• Adaptive vs. Technical Review• People: The who• Process: The how• Pipeline: Looking forward• Self Assessment

Adaptive Challenges & Leadership

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TECHNICAL CHALLENGES ADAPTIVE CHALLENGES

• Clear cut need• Can be fixed or addressed• Can apply current experience

or skills (or find it)• Developmental change

e.g. building a new website

• Complex issues, dilemmas• No set procedures or

policies• No analogous past

experience• No expertise• Issue is transitional or

transformational for the organization.

e.g. move to a new revenue/ membership model

Adaptive Challenges & Leadership

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What’s a recent example of an adaptive challenge in your congregation?

What made it adaptive? How did you navigate it?

Maybe it fell into one of these three domains:– Finance– Religious Practice– Education

People: The WhoWhat people, skills and talents are needed?

People: The WhoWhat people, skills and talents are needed?

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Community Builder. Builds consensus and mobilizes around common causes.

Risk Evaluator. Objectively assesses costs and benefits (re: financial, human and social capital)

Connector. Influential “social node” with relationships with various subgroups and individuals.

Entrepreneur. Agile, startup generator

Visionary Leader. Big picture thinker who can envision possibilities.

Implementer. “Do-er” who can move from concept to implementation.

Facilitator. Meeting or process facilitator. Designs and/or leads/guides.

Communicator. Skilled at tailoring the message and using various channels to get it out, as well as listening inward.

Mediator. Intercessor who can bring about consensus and/or mobilize forward motion.

Synthesizer. Analyst who can consolidate views (“This is what I heard and…”)

People: The WhoExamples from your work? Which do you need?

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Community Builder. Builds consensus and mobilizes around common causes.

Risk Evaluator. Objectively assesses costs and benefits (re: financial, human and social capital)

Connector. Influential “social node” with relationships with various subgroups and individuals.

Entrepreneur. Agile, startup generator

Visionary Leader. Big picture thinker who can envision possibilities.

Implementer. “Do-er” who can move from concept to implementation.

Facilitator. Meeting or process facilitator. Designs and/or leads/guides.

Communicator. Skilled at tailoring the message and using various channels to get it out, as well as listening inward.

Mediator. Intercessor who can bring about consensus and/or mobilize forward motion.

Synthesizer. Analyst who can consolidate views (“This is what I heard and…”)

Process: The How

To what extent does your leadership team apply adaptive and collaborative leadership practices (processes and culture) in your decision making and implementation?

What practices and cultural adjustments are needed to help you work as an adaptive team?

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Process: The HowWhat adaptive and collaborative leadership

practices and cultural element do you need?

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Open. Permeable boundaries to the leadership team.

Action Oriented. Seizing the moment; prioritizing “doing”.

Iterative. Willing to revisit and adapt previous decisions on the basis of data and experience.

Agile. Being nimble in order to take advantage of emergent opportunities.

Momentum Seeking. Not stuck in status quo; constantly on a growth trajectory.

Transparent. Culture of sharing information.

Positivist. Culture of abundance (rather than scarcity); reframe challenges as opportunities.

Trusting & Mutually Respectful. Stance of openness and listening to the perspectives of others.

Authentic Modeling of Relationship Building. Know one another; personal connections.

Process: The How

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Open. Permeable boundaries to the leadership team.

Action Oriented. Seizing the moment; prioritizing “doing”.

Iterative. Willing to revisit and adapt previous decisions on the basis of data and experience.

Agile. Being nimble in order to take advantage of emergent opportunities.

Momentum Seeking. Not stuck in status quo; constantly on a growth trajectory.

Transparent. Culture of sharing information.

Positivist. Culture of abundance (rather than scarcity); reframe challenges as opportunities.

Trusting & Mutually Respectful. Stance of openness and listening to the perspectives of others.

Authentic Modeling of Relationship Building. Know one another; personal connections.

Examples from your work? Which attributes do you need to work on?

The Pipeline: Looking ForwardTo what extent does your leadership team have ways to continually identify, cultivate, on-board,

develop and nurture leaders? What does this mean for your next nomination process?

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The Pipeline: Looking ForwardHow do you identify, cultivate, on-board, develop &

nurture leaders to complete the picture?

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Leadership identification mechanism. How to identify attributes you need, and who can bring those attributes.

Leadership cultivation practices. Gradual integration into leadership.

Leadership on-boarding processes. Orientation, culture setting and mentoring.

Leadership development activities. Ongoing board development.

Leadership nurturing. Recognition, support, reflection, celebration.

The Pipeline: Looking Forward

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Leadership identification mechanism. How to identify attributes you need, and who can bring those attributes.

Leadership cultivation practices. Gradual integration into leadership.

Leadership on-boarding processes. Orientation, culture setting and mentoring.

Leadership development activities. Ongoing board development.

Leadership nurturing. Recognition, support, reflection, celebration.

Examples from your work? Which do you need to work on?

Self Assessment

•Individually•Group Debrief•Implications

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Tuesday, March 3, 2015, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m.