"The Work Of Leadership"

by Ronald A. Heifetz and Donald L. Laurie
Courtesy of Dave Bollwinkel

"Solutions to adaptive challenges reside not in the executive suite

but in the collective intelligence of employees at all levels."

Notes and Thoughts:

For an organization to flourish leaders must recognize the difference between providing leadership and not just authoritative expertise.  Two factors come into play in making this paradigm shift.  The first is that the leader must stop providing leadership in the form of solutions.  Secondly, the leader must be prepared to assist others with the distress that they will feel when this adaptive change takes place.  Their are six principles that will assist managers in leading such adaptive work:

1. Getting on the Balcony - leaders must be able to step back and observe change as if they are on a balcony.  It does them no good to get swept up in the field of action.
2. Identify the Adaptive Challenge - it isn't always easy to identify the true challenge that is before you.
3. Regulate Stress - this may be the leaders most difficult job.  The leader must protect people by managing the rate of change.  In this role the leader is responsible for direction, protection, orientation, managing conflict, and shaping norms.
4. Maintain Disciplined Attention - people need leadership to help them maintain their focus on the tough questions.
5. Give the Work Place to People - to do so the leader must instill confidence while others need to learn to take responsibility.
6. Protect Voices of Leadership from Below - leaders need to provide cover for those from below who accept the responsibility to speak up.  This is a key as this new orientation benefits from leadership from below.

"Rather than providing answers, leaders have to ask tough questions.  Rather than protecting people from outside threats, leaders should let the pinch of reality stimulate them to adapt.  Instead of orienting people to their current roles, leaders must disorient them so that new relationships can develop."

Dave Bollwinkel shares with you ideas that will benefit players, parents, and coaches.  Coach Bollwinkel brings to our pages 25 years of college coaching experience, including 9 seasons as a head coach.  Currently Dave works with teams and businesses around the country on leadership and teamwork issues.  Scores of athletic programs have benefited from his popular interactive workshop, TEAM In Training.  To find out more about what he has to offer coaches and teams take a look at www.CoachOnandOfftheCourt.com under Leadership - Team.