Adaptive leadership needed in these tough times

Madam,

If anyone were to invent a boot camp for dynamic leadership skills for business leaders, they would be hard-pressed to come up with something more challenging than what the country presents today.

Who could imagine dealing with a slow economy, intense corruption and money challenges all at once? Under such circumstances, the well-worn observation that every crisis holds an opportunity might feel like somewhat empty, hopeful optimism. But, faced with these realities, business leaders are sure of one thing; doing nothing is not an option.

SITUATIONS

The country today offers a unique opportunity for leaders to gauge their fitness for adaptive leadership and test how well they can adjust to changing situations. For some, this might come instinctively, driven by experience, deep domain-specific knowledge and personal charisma. For others, who do not have these attributes, the mantle of leadership might weigh heavily.

Businesses that train their leaders in these flexible skills will see benefits even in tough times. Corporates that wish to succeed should invest in these dynamic leadership skills at the top of their executive development programme priorities.

Adaptive leadership involves creative problem-solving, quick adjustment to new plans and a solid grasp of economic conditions around the world and at home. Educational institutions, particularly business schools, play a pivotal role in preparing future leaders for these challenges.

A fascinating example of adaptive leadership was captured by ‘The New York Times’ in its coverage of Chobe Game Lodge in Botswana and how it transformed into an all-female safari guiding group in what had traditionally been a male-dominated space.

MAINTENANCE

The change was driven by managers who observed an economic phenomenon. They saw that the costs of guide vehicle maintenance dropped when women were drivers; that they used less fuel, and that vehicles lasted longer. Female guides also brought a different approach compared to men. When no big game was around, they focused on other things that male guides would often overlook, like interesting bird life or fascinating stories about the game park.

This adaptive leadership showed thinking that led to fundamental organisational change, which

resulted in a more profitable business and an enhanced experience for guests. Locally, such resilience was apparent in the lockdown period of the COVID-19 pandemic, where leaders showed they were able to adapt to unfathomable challenges. This example shows the value of adaptive leadership thinking, which can be formally taught as much as instinctively applied with significant bottom-line rewards.

To succeed, leaders must look forward and not simply to tomorrow, and that requires a skill set that is grounded in resilience and the ability for the successful leader to maintain continuous learning, scenario planning and embracing change. When this is done successfully, the results can be profound.

I believe that the lessons learned from crises such as the pandemic demonstrate the power of flexible business models alongside adaptive and crisis-resilient management, which the modern leader should embrace.

To future-proof our economy and businesses, it is crucial that organisations appreciate that such resilient leadership DNA cannot always be ‘bought in’. Indeed, there is a compelling business case to be made to invest in and teach leaders the tools needed to navigate the country’s challenging reality.

F Landman