Adaptive Leadership: Going to be Punched In the Face? Better Move or Block!

Get focussed on the outcome.

To begin to be an adaptable leader you need to start focussing on the outcome and learning to trust your team to make the journey. Learning to lead in this way is hard though since you need to be okay with not knowing exactly how your team is going to tackle a given problem. Over time though this will become easier and is a start to moving in the direction of becoming a more adaptive leader, and also a more adaptive team!

Lead with a Goal

What is the exact outcome you want to achieve, and does it even matter how your team goes about achieving it? If it doesn’t matter how your team reaches the desired goal, don’t let your own inability to relinquish control stand in the way. However, it is important to ensure your team understands what your expectations are. Identify for them exactly what the outcome is, what it is you care about, and the intention behind achieving the outcome.

Some People are Smarter Than You

Jordan Peterson, a tenured professor of psychology at the University of Toronto wrote in his book 12 Rules for Life, “Assume that the Person You’re Listening to Might Know Something You Don’t”. If we engage our team believing that only our perspectives are the ones of value, your team is going to pick up on that. That isn’t going to encourage your team, rather discourage them. Conversely, when you demonstrate that you can be an active listener for your team, and set aside your own views, you can accelerate their effectiveness.

These are just 3 easy tips to help you and your team become more adaptable. Never be naive to think problems will not arise. We both know they will, but how you respond to those problems is what will cause you to achieve the outcome you desire and not a black eye.

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