Learning to Lead (again)
In 2020, the local church I then served as Executive Pastor was closed for in-person worship for over 10 months. During that time, a number of large changes took place within the church. The main campus was remodeled, it merged with another church, that campus was remodeled and became host to a growing Christian school. On the first day of in-person combined worship in 2021, the Technical Director suffered a cardiac event then died just minutes before the start of service. It was a lot to lead through while simultaneously navigating the pandemic. In many ways, we provided widely-acknowledged outstanding leadership. Why, then, was there a sudden exodus after we came back together? Where did we go wrong? In hindsight, knowledge and utilization of adaptive leadership which prepares and encourages people to address and adjust to change might have made a difference in retaining members.[1] Applying adaptive leadership practices could have served to strengthen those individuals in their own response to the overwhelming circumstances of the time.[2]
Peter G. Northouse PhD is Communications Professor Emeritus at Western Michigan University. He has written numerous books and journal articles on Leadership and is best known for Leadership: Theory and Practice which describes and contrasts a dozen leadership models including their definitions, practices, strengths, and weaknesses. Learning about each model is further enhanced by numerous case studies. Now in its 9th edition, the work is considered the foundational primer for learning about leadership. The book very helpfully expands the common, but limited, definition of leadership as ‘influence’ to a “process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal.”[3] Northouse takes the approach that since leadership is a process, it can be learned and suggests that leadership is possible for all people.[4] I elected to dive deeper into adaptive leadership because it is often referenced and I did not know much about it.
Adaptive leadership is not focused on the leader, but on what the leader does to help individuals “adapt” to changes that they are facing. Adaptive leadership is not about solving people’s problems or directing them what to do. Rather, it is about facilitating individuals through the process of facing challenges and finding their way through. I will describe the basic steps of the process and then elaborate on missed applications in the situation described in the opening paragraphs.
Behaviors which characterize Adaptive Leaders
- Get on the Balcony. This refers to taking a step back from the situation or conflict to see the big picture. The author emphasizes separating from the emotional activity, but not completely disassociating from the from what is happening.[5] Adaptive leaders remain in relationship but do not enter into the anxiety of the group.[6]
- Adaptive leaders must identify the adaptive challenge. This includes diagnosing whether or not the challenge is simply technical in which case the leader can be more directive and ‘solve’ the problem with available resources or training.[7] Adaptive challenges involve people’s values, beliefs, and attitudes.[8] These underpinnings contribute to conflict.
- Regulate Distress. Because humans are psychologically wired to resist change, adaptive leaders employ multiple strategies to create safety.[9]
- By maintaining disciplined attention, adaptive leaders indicate that they are present and supporting during the period of change.[10]
- Adaptive leaders give the work back to the people by not doing the work for them. They avoid being overly directive and authoritative.[11]
- Adaptive leaders also protect leadership voices from below. Even the ‘lowest’ status voices, or anyone with an outlier opinion, or who represents the marginalized will have the opportunity to be heard. This gives all members of the group equal status and allows each play a fulfilling role.[12]
During the cascade of changes at my church in 2020 there are several adaptive leadership practices which could have had resulted with more satisfaction when in-person worship resumed. First, we underestimated the value and attitudes so many individual congregants had towards the space. By approaching aging facilities as a technical problem, we did not recognize that they were also an adaptive problem requiring particular shepherding.
Second, much more could have been done to regulate the distress that changing the facilities was causing. One strategy, ‘create a holding environment’ gives opportunity for people (congregants) to fully voice their distress. Then, with pressure released, they could have participated in productive creative solutions.[13] We were too ‘top-down’ and did too much of the work ourselves. Some of the motive was good, ‘let’s earn our keep since we are still getting paid full-time.’
In another sense we adopted an un-Christlike disdain for voices from the edges that threatened to slow the ‘progress’. During a season when nearly every aspect of life was impacted by the pandemic and the security of the people was deeply threatened, they needed the safety of familiar space and we took it away without their full engagement. If I could relive that process, I would speak up to the leadership team and explain psychology of change and introduce adaptive leadership style as a means to address the work and help the people grow. With more time, I would explore how adaptive leadership intersects with discipleship.
[1] Peter G. Northouse, Leadership: Theory and Practice. (London: Sage, 2022), 510.
[2] Northouse, 512.
[3] Northouse, 77.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Northouse, 521.
[6] Jim Herringon, Trisha Taylor, and Robert R. Creech, The Leader’s Journey: Accepting the Call to Personal and Congregational Transformation (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2020), 71.
[7] Northouse, 521.
[8] Northouse, 522.
[9] Northouse, 524.
[10] Northouse, 531.
[11] Northouse, 532.
[12] Northouse, 533.
[13] Northouse, 527.
About the Author
Julie O'Hara
5 responses to “Learning to Lead (again)”
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Julie – my goodness, what a challenging time you and your colleagues faced during that season. You naturally deployed crisis leadership strategies (short-term efforts to manage immediate threats), so celebrate that as a win!
Adaptive leadership strategies will become more routine for us in the future. I used to think that only large corporations needed “change management consultants,” especially after situations like the Enron, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac scandals. Much of the consultant’s work centered on effective and transparent communications across the organization. However, large-scale disruptions (pandemics, natural disasters, political changes, etc.) are becoming the norm; hence making all of us change management consultants. Having adaptive leadership tools in your pocket will serve you well in coaching others. I also thought about the correlation with the Socratic learning style in that the teacher doesn’t give the answer, but they keep asking questions, so the students arrive at the conclusions on their own. I can see you using some of that in your adaptive leadership practices. Best of luck as you continue doing the Lord’s work.
Hi, Julie, thank you for elaborating more on the adaptive leadership style. what is an executive pastor?
Hi Noel,
It can differ from church to church, but basically it is a pastoral role that handles the administrative and operational functions of the church. In my case, I was specifically responsible for our staff as well as our facilities, and making sure we had the systems in place to meet the needs of the congregation. In our case, as in many others, my role had both no authority and all authority. In myself, I did not have any authority, but I also represented the lead pastor and my role extended his authority. It worked because we had a very high level of trust.
Hi Julie,
I used the “Get on the Balcony” analogy in my NPO. On of my favorite leadership styles.
How could creating a ‘holding environment’ have alleviated the distress caused by changes in the church facilities, and what role does this concept play in adaptive leadership?
Hi Shela,
Although we did conduct some all church meetings in person, and by Zoom, we did not have enough of them. More meetings as a group, followed up with a lot more one on one meetings spread over a longer amount of time could have made a big difference. Julie