The Adaptive Leader and the 'Old and the New'

Old and new' is a familiar phrase we always mention at the end of the year. The 'old' represents the year that is almost over and the 'new' represents the year ahead. In this column I want to give attention to 'old and new' in relation to our daily life within the spiritual aspect and business. Again, leadership plays a major role but also effective leadership with an understanding of the spiritual principles of change.

In these times we are greatly challenged to adapt (adaptation) or change (change). Let's look at a company in relation to a product or service. In the “old” days, a product or service had a life cycle of perhaps 1 to 5 years. Today, that is no longer the case. Why is this? Because our needs are changing and growing faster and faster. These changes are partly determined by social media, technological advances (electric cars, etc.) and digital developments (AI, cloud computing, etc.).

For example, Moore's Law states that the number of transistors in integrated circuits (IC’s) doubles every two years. The New Scientist speaks in relation to IC’s that the era of “record-breaking super-atomic semiconductor material” today allows super atomic particles (electrons) to pass through silicon chips 100 to 1,000 times faster. Source:  www.newscientist.com

This makes software applications, for example, faster but also more complex. If you are a supplier or builder of software and do not respond to these new technological and digital developments, you will soon belong to “the old” and become a fossil. You will die out and simply cease to exist. If you think about this, for many this is challenging, stressful and frightening.

So, life cycles are changing faster and faster. And this means we have to be flexible as entrepreneurs, owners but also as leaders. We are not only building but to a large extent constantly adapting and changing. I personally believe that in this era successful leadership is determined by the ability to adapt (adapt) (very) quickly. We also call this “Adaptive Leadership”.

We have also seen this since the last pandemic. Social, political and economic changes are accelerating. Thus, change is this one constant. Individuals and teams must be adaptive. Therefore, the pressure on leaders is great. After all, the “new” kind of leader must be able to motivate and inspire so that change is embraced and people learn to deal with unfamiliar situations and complex problems. This requires adaptive leadership. Source: Dr. Ronald Heifetz and Martin Linsky (Harvard University).

In addition to this new form of leadership, the new requires increasing insight, collaboration, faith, trust and inspiration. When I am at work as an Organizational Consultant and Business Coach, I want to inspire and motivate leaders, MT members, directors, board members and maximize their potential. Inspiring leads to thinking differently and motivating leads to doing things differently. But the leaders have to do it themselves and they have to want it! No blinders on but looking soberly and realistically around you. I can clearly remember that when I drove from Zoetermeer towards Rotterdam, I passed the Free Record Shop (FRS). FRS belonged to founder Hans Breukhoven. With more than 400 stores in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and Scandinavia, FRS was the largest provider of music and movies on CD (Compact Disc). What Hans Breukhoven and his managers did not realize was that they had been overtaken by the “new” and the world of storage technologies and distribution of music and films had changed around them. Apple had the iPod and iTunes and later there was Netflix. With Apple and Netflix, consumers could listen to and watch music and movies online. This was hugely disruptive. The leadership model of FRS was not adaptive and so FRS became a fossil and disappeared from the scene. The leadership model of Apple and Netflix was adaptive and Apple and Netflix still exist today. But like FRS, this can turn around in a moment when not alert and you suddenly exist as an organization no more. What is more

needed than just being disruptive? Understanding time and seasons!

Adaptive leaders know the seasons. They can “read” this and act on it. In the Bible, there is a tribe and it is called the tribe of Issachar. We read this in 1 Chronicles 12:32. This tribe was known to be able to recognize (read) and interpret the times and the seasons. We call this the Kairos interpretation. With Kairos-interpretation they knew what to do what and what was coming their way.

I see this as a great advantage within my own Christian life, my walk with God and as a spiritual, adaptive leader also within my organization, davidrakers.com. Especially when it comes to the dot on the horizon, being able to operate and make important decisions. The Bible goes even further by saying that we also “know the future” because it is made known to us. We can see the “new” in advance and act on it and respond adaptively. About the future and the new we can read this in John 16:13. So, as a spiritual leader, it is important that within an organization you don't just look at the natural changes of the market, products and services but engage first in the spiritual side of business and change. You know what to do and avoid becoming a fossil. What a great blessing this is!

Tips and actions on adaptive leadership

§  Constantly study the world around you

§  Test your business model regularly

§  Build a corporate culture of change

§  Know the seasons and respond

§  Continue to change as you grow and not when sales/market share decline

§  Enjoy the journey

§  Communicate a lot

§  Pray to the Almighty God for help and wisdom