Adaptive and Technical Challenges

Question: ExplainAdaptive and Technical Challenges. Answer: Introduction Every organization having more than five to six employees needs an authority figure who can lead from within. It is crucial for people in authority to lead. They are required to give quick, decisive solutions to challenges. The adaptive challenges treated as technical challenges put pressure on the person in authority. Many challenges earlier have been adaptive challenges. However, gradually humanity has developed the knowledge to solve them. The problems to which the solutions are already present are Technical problems. Adaptive and Technical Challenges: According to Yukl and Mahsud, (2010) the main difference between technical and adaptive challenge is that a leader has to solve it without previous knowledge. Adaptive challenges require people to take charge because solutions are not available readily. The employees take responsibility for the problem and become part of the solution. Diagnoses of adaptive and technical challenges are different. According to the speaker Persistent Crisis is an indicator of an adaptive problem. Economic crisis is an example of a technical problem. They arise due to problems in regulation design in banking systems. To solve an adaptive challenge, one has to probe, diagnose and get to the root of the problem. The quickest way to solve an adaptive challenge is to learn new ways. Discovery and learning are necessary. The classic failure in leadership is the misjudgment of the diagnostic results and taking the wrong decision. The people in leadership should ask the right questions and the solutions should be provided by the collective intelligence of the people (Yukl and Mahsud, 2010). The technical challenges are easy to identify. People have the knowhow required to solve the problem. The solutions are normally easy, quick and decisive. The authority can solve the technical problems, or the organization can bring in an expert to solve the problem. Normally the problems arise within the organization. Due to the easy understanding of solutions to the technical problems, people in the organization are very receptive to these solutions. Implementation of solutions is quick and efficient because of the previous knowledge regarding the problem (Heifetz et al., 2009). Adaptive challenges, on the other hand, are difficult in identifying. Adaptive challenges are often confused with technical problems that happen to be a critical failure of leadership for a person in authority. Adaptive challenges need changes in people. The changes include a different approach to the problem, values, beliefs that can aid in solving the problem. Solving of the problem requires the participation of people. The authority cannot provide solutions readily. Adaptive problems often arise even outside the organizational boundaries. Solutions are complex thus are not readily understood by the employees. Adaptive problems require innovative solutions. The formulation of new solutions is time dependent. Thus, implementation of these solutions is a long drawn process (Heifetz et al., 2014). Adaptive leadership According to Heifetz et al., (2014) Ronald Heifetz made the leadership model called adaptive leadership. This method of leadership involves changes in the behavior of the person in authority and the employees in an organization according to the situation presented. The diagnosis of the problem by leaders should be accurate and the leaders should change their behavior accordingly. A person in authority should be flexible and agile. To deal with adaptive challenges versatility in thinking process is required. The speaker focused on the issue of flexibility, which is important for a person in authority to switch between different positions that are required to solve an unseen problem (Heifetz Linsky, 2002). It is a very active form of leadership, which requires a hands-on approach to solving problems arising in an organization (Adams et al., 2013). Diagnosing Adaptive Challenges: Adaptive problems have a difficult identifying process; many times they are mistaken for a technical problem. Due to this, the problem persists. Adaptive leadership requires the person to think in a different way than routine operations. Adaptive solutions require the leader to make decisions about the conservation of past practices, discarding of out of date practices, and inventing new ways as well as retaining the old ways. According to Heifetz Laurie (2001) Failure to take human aspects of adaptive challenges into the diagnosis, like cultural, political dimensions is a cause of low implementation rates. Separation of the technical elements from the adaptive aspect requires creativity of the leaders. They require listening to people for clues and advice to solve an adaptive problem (Adams et al., 2013). Conclusion According to the speaker, Ronald Heifetzs adaptive leadership is based on value-added outcomes. The jobs of leaders have broad-based descriptions that allow versatility and flexibility in decision making. People are expected to cover for one another. Making contacts and networks with people in the same field is encouraged for getting ideas. Leaders have to motivate the people for a Can do attitude. Structures of the leadership model are fluid that is susceptible and favorable to change. References: Adams, J., Bailey Jr, D. E., Anderson, R. A., Galanos, A. N. (2013). Adaptive leadership: a novel approach for family decision making. Journal of palliative medicine, 16(3), 326-329. Heifetz, R. A., Laurie, D. L. (2001). The work of leadership. Harvard Business Review, 79(11). Heifetz, R. A., Linsky, M. (2002). Leadership on the line: Staying alive through the dangers of leading (Vol. 465). Harvard Business Press. Heifetz, R. A., Grashow, A., Linsky, M. (2009). The practice of adaptive leadership: Tools and tactics for changing your organization and the world. Harvard Business Press. Heifetz, R. A., Linsky, M., Grashow, A. (2014). Adaptive Leadership: The Heifetz Collection (3 Items). Harvard Business Review Press. Yukl, G. and Mahsud, R., 2010. Why flexible and adaptive leadership is essential.Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research,62(2), p.81.