{"id":31429,"date":"2023-02-27T21:39:09","date_gmt":"2023-02-28T05:39:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=31429"},"modified":"2023-02-27T21:39:09","modified_gmt":"2023-02-28T05:39:09","slug":"you-had-me-at-tools-and-tactics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/you-had-me-at-tools-and-tactics\/","title":{"rendered":"You Had Me at Tools and Tactics"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ronald Heifetz and his co-authors Alexander Grashow and Marty Linsky had me at the subtitle of The Practice of Adaptive Leadership<\/em>: \u201cTools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization and the World.\u201d Heifetz, Grashow, and Linsky all lead Cambridge Leadership Associates, a leadership development firm that spans international borders and sectors of industry. Having additional experience in educational capacities, this business and leadership book combines the theoretical framework with practical tools for leaders to feel empowered to address and positively impact their sphere of influence. This book very quickly rose to my short list of books from this program that I am confident I will return to over and over again.<\/p>\n

The authors begin by emphasizing that truly adaptive leaders are able to \u201ckeep one eye on the events happening immediately around [them] and the other eye on the larger patterns and dynamics\u201d as \u201csystematic and personal realities always play out simultaneously.\u201d[1]<\/a> The book then dives into the theory of adaptive leadership, the importance of diagnosis (a key component may leaders fail to do), and how to make significant change, all with the goal of building adaptive capacity. Throughout the chapters, two sections are prominently included: \u201con the balcony\u201d which challenges the reader to think and question the given topic from a higher perspective and a \u201con the practice field\u201d which equips the reader with tools and tactics that can immediately be deployed including questions, activities, or specific areas to consider. Personally, it is these components that distinguish the book from others as it is easy to talk about something, but much harder to guide people through something with such intentionality and specifics. Additionally, the authors include various charts, assessments, and examples to make the concepts and theories discussed more tangible.<\/p>\n

As one in a middle-upper leadership role at my university and in conversations about continuing to advance my sphere of influence and scope of my role, I found myself marking the tools that I can envision implementing immediately for not only my teams but myself personally. A few of the nuggets that I do not want to forget:<\/p>\n