Cast your mind back a few years and imagine you are the CEO or key leader in the following scenarios:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In all these scenarios and thousands of others like them, we see the challenge of discontinuous change and the struggle of how to respond. Strategies that worked in the past are no longer successful. For the video store owner, offering two for one deals, \u2018cheap Tuesdays\u2019, spending more money on advertising no longer cut it. Yesterday\u2019s clients are now streaming on Netflix, Binge, Amazon Prime or one of the myriad of competitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The pastor has attended workshops to upskill his\/her preaching, introduced drums and guitars in worship services, doorknocked the local community to invite people to church but finds none of these makes any real difference. (In fact the drums caused quite an issue for several regular members!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And the key leaders of the crisis support agency cannot afford to hire additional administrative staff to meet government requirements, nor, in good conscience, cut back on essential services given the increasing demand from the community for crisis accommodation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The challenge facing all these leaders is how to adapt to their changed contexts. How to continue serving current \u2018clients\u2019 while at the same time connect with a new \u2018market\u2019 in order to sustain and develop their \u2018business\u2019? And that\u2019s a huge challenge! One that requires maintaining and strengthening relational connections, honing technical and functional competencies while at the same time creatively engaging a changed context. It\u2019s a challenge that most leaders have not been prepared or equipped for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ronald Heifetz, Harvard Professor and author of \u2018Leadership without Easy Answers\u2019 calls this the challenge of \u2018adaptive change\u2019. The work of adaptive change is for leaders and their organizations or communities to engage in a learning process to address conflicts within the organization\u2019s values and\/or the gap between those values, beliefs and strategies with the contextual reality in which the organization seeks to operate. To navigate that process leaders need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Adaptive work is a learning process that addresses loss and conflict arising from the gap between the organization\u2019s and its members\u2019 values and those of the changed missional context. It necessitates a change in either the organization\u2019s beliefs, values or traditional practices; navigating the inevitable anxiety and conflict that will arise; while experimenting with new ways to deliver core mission in the changed reality. So what could all this mean for our three scenario leaders?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the video store owner it will include considering why she\/he is in the business of selling and hiring videos. Is it just to generate an income or is there some deeper purpose? If the former, will she\/he sell off property and other assets, pay off any remaining mortgages and retire; start another business; or find another form of employment? If another film related business, what are some new initiatives that could be trialled to provide movies for the community and who could be potential partners?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the church pastor, it will mean asking whether he\/she has the energy and commitment to help the church reconnect with the wider community? What are those basic beliefs and core values shared by the pastor and key lay leaders that are non-negotiable and what needs to change in order to be able to reach those outside the church? What are some new missional experiments that could be piloted and who could help with that? And recognising this would impact the pastor\u2019s availability to current members, how could people be supported and encouraged through the change process?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And for the leaders of the crisis support agency this scenario also raises critically important questions around values, beliefs and service delivery model. Should the agency pivot to reduce the number of survivors it can support in order to meet government requirements, change its service delivery strategy or seek other sources of support? Much will depend on the agency\u2019s basic beliefs and core values. Whatever the leaders decide, how will they support clients and staff through any change process?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Business Experiment<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In the small Northern Rivers village of NSW where my wife grew up a new bookshop has recently opened. There was another bookshop there previously; the regular type that sold a small selection of fiction, general interest non-fiction and greeting cards. However, it closed a few years ago presumably due to lack of business. This new bookshop is quite different. It sells both new and second hand fiction and non-fiction and has a scattering of sofas and lounge chairs where potential buyers can relax as they browse through books they might wish to purchase while having a coffee (which the shop also has available).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The owners are attempting something new and a bit different \u2013 it\u2019s early days yet and I wish them every success in their new venture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n