Adaptive Leadership Teams - Quality Decisions Quickly and Experimentation

In my last series of blogs, I explored the “Adaptive Leadership model.

In this series I am exploring Adaptive Leadership Teams.

Leadership is a team effort. Everyone has to lead and be adaptive.

My Adaptive Leadership Teams model is shown below.

Quality decisions quickly

Perceive and play enables adaptive leadership teams to make quality decisions quickly. They process the information they are presented with and can take action quickly, as needed. They are able to change direction rapidly.

Adaptive leadership teams know that in today’s world of constant and complex change, there is no time for extensive thinking before making decisions. This does not mean they don’t make quality decisions but they avoid unnecessary deliberation.

Adaptive leadership teams draw on the collective knowledge and experience, supported by available data, and make a decision.

The soccer team has to make quality decisions in the split of a second. If it doesn’t the opposition will be all over it and winning the game will be in question. In total football, the aim is to confuse the opponent, which can only be done by perceive and play, and making quality decisions quickly.

Experimentation

Most organizations living in a VUCA world no longer have the luxury of a plan-do approach. It is now anticipate, advance, and alter.

Adaptive leadership teams experiment to discover what works and what doesn't. This facilitates the development of new products and services that move the organization forward. When they don't know what is around the corner, adaptive leadership teams avoid putting grand and detailed plans in place.

Instead, they experiment. Some experiments will fail and some will succeed. Failure to succeed will involve many course corrections along the way. That constant change in direction represents the organization’s commitment to the development of better products and services through experimentation.

If soccer teams didn't experiment with different tactics and playing positions, the opposition would know exactly what their capability was and easily win the game by playing to an old and known entity. Without experimentation, it’s game over.

Game score

Just like soccer teams, organizations have to have adaptive leadership teams if they are to beat the opposition and win the competition.

They have to align around a common goal, perceive what is happening outside the organization and respond accordingly. Sound decisions need to be made quickly and teams will experiment to discover what works and what doesn't.

There is role fluidity and anyone can play in any position depending on what is required.

There is shared leadership with a shared purpose and widespread collaboration and innovation as a result

When organizations have adaptive leaders and adaptive leadership teams, they are true champions.

My next posts will explore further aspects of the Adaptive Leadership Teams model.