What is Flexible Leadership? The Four Competencies for Adaptive Leadership

Gary Yukl & Rick Lepsinger in their article “Why Flexible, Adaptive Leadership is Essential for Organizational Effectiveness,” emphasize that successful companies have leaders who demonstrate greater flexibility and competence in dealing with the difficult challenges posed by timely adaptation to external change.

Effective leaders assess the situation, determine what needs to be done, and find ways to balance the trade-offs. The leader must continually assess the situation and determine what types of behavior, programs, management systems, and structural forms are relevant for it.  What worked before may be less appropriate when conditions change. 

Flexible, adaptive leadership is more than the use of a particular set of behaviors, programs, or strategies.  Considerable skill is required to diagnose the situation accurately and integrate diverse leadership activities in a way that is relevant for meeting multiple challenges.

Relevant competencies for leadership flexibility include:

1. strategic thinking skills (including systems thinking)

2. interpersonal skills (including emotional intelligence)

3. a learning orientation (openness to feedback and new ideas)

4. knowledge of the organization (e.g., culture, processes, products or services)

These competencies are relevant for leaders at all levels, but they are especially important for top executives.

If you want to increase your leadership competencies contact me Valerie.MacLeod@HainesCentre.com