393: Adaptive Leadership and Building Trust: Lessons in Leading Off the Map

Adaptive Leadership

• Tod explains that adaptive leadership is crucial when leaders face situations where they don't know the answers. (03:31)
• It involves vulnerability and the willingness to admit not knowing, which is essential for leading effectively in uncertain times. (04:03)

Trust and Transformation

• Tod highlights that trust is fundamental for transformational leadership. (05:13)
• Trust is built through technical competence (doing expected tasks well) and relational congruence (integrity experienced by followers). (05:48)

Creating a Holding Environment

• Tod introduces the concept of a holding environment, necessary for managing the heat and discomfort that comes with change. (08:53)
• The right amount of challenge over time can lead to transformation, akin to cooking with a Dutch oven. (09:00)

Inspirational Leadership and Employee Engagement

• Al connects Tod's ideas with components of inspirational leadership in the Best Christian Workplace Employee Engagement Survey, such as operational excellence and compassion. (10:36)

Technical Competence and Relational Congruence

• Tod further elaborates on the importance of both technical competence and relational congruence in building trust and navigating change. (11:13)

Organizational Trust and Meaningful Work

• Tod discusses how meaningful work, rather than just personal relationships, builds trust and prepares organizations for the future. (11:59)
• He cites Google’s concept of psychological safety as crucial for high-performing teams. (12:12)

Values and Organizational DNA

• Tod stresses that values are the core identity of an organization and should guide change processes. (15:56)
• New leaders must respect and adapt the organization's core DNA rather than completely overhaul it. (17:03)

Respect for the Past

• Both Al and Tod agree that sustainable change requires a respectful adaptation of past values. (17:44)
• Tod provides examples from organizations like Young Life, emphasizing the importance of clear, enduring values. (18:07)

Implementation and Change

• Tod and Al conclude that leaders need to ensure their values are clear and regularly communicated to facilitate successful change. (20:02)

• Minimizing the reality of pain during change can erode trust. (22:06)
• Effective leadership acknowledges that change involves loss and navigates people through these losses. (22:48)
• Adaptive leadership includes admitting uncertainty ("I don't know") and committing to learning. (22:25)

• Humility is essential for learning and effective leadership. (26:15) 
• Empathy and courage are crucial for managing loss. (26:45)
• Discernment is needed to navigate competing values and make decisions aligning with the will of God. (27:07)
• Listening to employees and incorporating their insights is part of discernment. (30:12)

• Good leaders often try to outwork problems but should focus on outlearning them. (31:00)
• Burnout can result from attempting to solve crises through sheer effort. (31:23)
• Effective leadership in a changing world involves learning new ways and adapting to unforeseen challenges. (32:47)

• The book uses the metaphor of Lewis and Clark encountering the Rocky Mountains, emphasizing the need for new leadership approaches in uncharted territories. (33:07)
• Leaders must be willing to abandon old practices and learn from new perspectives, similar to the explorers relying on Sacagawea. (34:13)

• Change and leadership are practices that require continual learning and improvement. (36:24)
• Leaders should embrace the challenge of leading change and commit to bettering their skills daily. (36:26)
• Practicing change involves understanding and avoiding common mistakes to lead effectively in faith-based environments. (36:35)