Posts Tagged ‘leadership practice’
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Leaders: Is growing and developing people in your DNA?
The start of a year is often the time for reflection on what’s working/not working in our leadership practice. Ronald Heifetz in his work, ‘The Practice of Adaptive Leadership,'(2009) talks to the current ‘zeitgeist’ of turbulent times and need for bold ideas and innovation by providing the following definition :-
”Adaptive Leadership is the practice of mobilising people to tackle tough challenges and thrive”.
He draws, I think very helpfully on evolutionary biology where a successful adaptation has 3 characterisitics:-
- it preserves the DNA essential for survival of a species
- it discards the DNA that no longer serves the species needs
- it creates DNA arrangements that enable the species to develop, thrive in new ways and in more challenging environments
Leaders in organisations he argues, have to assess and analyse the organisational DNA in the same way. What do we absolutely need to keep and honour which is core to the purpose of the organisation and fundamental to its survival? What habits and practices are no longer serving us well and we should leave behind to grow and thrive in the current climate? What are the one or two different ways we need to be and act in order to safeguard the future and thrive not just survive!If we apply this to our own everyday practice of growing our own talent and creating the right kind of practices, experiences and opportunities for others, what do we need to cherish and continue to nurture, what habits do we need to change and stop doing and what new practices do we need to develop and prioritise? How do we ensure that growing and developing people is truly in our DNA?The 5th -12 th February is International Coaching Week. This is an opportunity for you to get into dialogue with colleagues, to personally reflect and ask these questions to find out views on the one or two fundamental changes necessary to transform practice (yours and theirs ) to bring out the best in people.As part of International Coaching Week I (http://geniusmaker.wordpress.com/ ) will be joining with my colleagues Mike Green, Transitional Space ( http://changets.wordpress.com/ and Rajwant Bains, RKB Consultancy (http://rkbconsultancy.com/?cat=3 )and blogging on a daily basis Monday to Friday on a coaching related theme. We are passionate about the power of coaching to enhance personal effectiveness, improve organisational performance and transform leadership and will share some ideas on how we can all tap into this powerful resource.