Nonprofit leaders face challenges at some point, regardless of their field. Changes in policies, funding, or the needs of the organization can happen suddenly. During uncertain times, staff and community members look to their leaders for support, guidance, and reassurance that they can overcome these challenges. This is when adaptive leadership skills are needed the most.

What is Adaptive Leadership?

Adaptive leadership consists of skills that help individuals stay focused when there are no clear answers or easy solutions. These leaders are open minded and quick thinkers who respond to change and emerging challenges confidently. Instead of sticking to fixed plans or abandoning plans when conditions change, adaptive leaders remain flexible, incorporate various viewpoints, and try new solutions.

Organizational resilience starts with adaptive leadership. It’s common for changes in policy, economics, technology, and industry innovations to disrupt expectations and require organizations to respond. That’s why leaders across all sectors must be prepared to meet challenges effectively and why we emphasize adaptive leadership skills as part of our annual Executive Leadership Institute.

Putting It Into Action

Principles of adaptive leadership offer a framework for handling complex and difficult situations when clear solutions aren’t present. These principles help leaders and organizations adapt and succeed in changing environments:

The principles are interconnected and reinforce one another. For instance, “getting on the balcony” helps you identify the leadership challenge, which can inform your experiments and risk -taking. Empowering others allows more individuals to contribute to the adaptive work, while leveraging conflict can uncover new ideas.

Practices

Alongside these principles, adaptive work involves various practices that can help you succeed:

Staying Prepared

Practicing adaptive leadership is just as crucial as understanding its principles. When engaged in a difficult situation, stress and time constraints can make it hard to recall this information. The program provides Leaders with continuity of practice and application of adaptive leadership techniques to sharpen their skills. Here are some methods:

Executive Leadership Institute

Adaptive leadership is a core component of Social Current’s Executive Leadership Institute (ELI), which is held in partnership with Loyola University Chicago’s Quinlan School of Business. Over the course of the program, leaders grow their knowledge and skills to effectively manage day-to-day operations and prepare for future challenges and changes.

Executives and senior managers learn how to lead more effectively in an ever-changing environment through a combination of academic instruction, real-world projects, mentorship. This year’s institute will be taking place June 8-12 in Chicago. Learn more about the institute online and register to join us at our informational session.

Further Reading: