“The single most common source of leadership failure we’ve been able to identify—in politics, community life, business, or the nonprofit sector—is that people, especially those in positions of authority, treat adaptive challenges like technical problems.”
–Heifetz & Linsky, Leadership on the Line
If this is true, that would mean the question—Does this situation require a response of a technical fix or rising to meet an adaptive challenge?—is one of the most important questions facing leaders throughout their ministry.
Adaptive challenge describes the more difficult work needed, particularly in times of change. A technical fix is one in which the expertise exists within the congregation (or the wider church), and simply needs to be accessed and applied to the situation at hand. Adaptive challenge is the type of work in which easily accessed expertise does not exist, and the congregation as whole needs to learn new skills, attitudes and behavior in order to make progress on the work at hand. An example of technical fix would be assembling a “Welcome packet” to hand out to visitors in a worship service. A related adaptive challenge would be helping a congregation effectively welcome new people on Sunday morning. Here’s another example from the area of church finance: A technical fix would be for each ministry area to take a cut in order to make budget, an adaptive challenge might be to rethink a congregation’s attitudes and behaviors regarding stewardship.
The focus of a technical approach is on clarifying the problem and finding the solution/answer/expertise. The nature of the work is to apply current know how. Those who do the work are authorities or experts. Thus, in the example of the guest packet, the congregation might find a member with graphic abilities, and a knowledgeable person writes some text describing the congregation’s programs and vision and presto—a guest packet is done.
In adaptive challenge the focus is on making adaptations needed to thrive in a new environment. The nature of the work is to learn new ways (behavior, attitudes and skills). The congregation would need to make changes in numerous places throughout the congregation. Those who do the work are the people. Thus, in the example of creating a welcoming Sunday morning space, all those involved in Sunday morning—ushers, Sunday School teachers, coffee servers, and members milling about before and after services—all will need to develop new attitudes towards Sunday morning guests, and new skills for interacting.
The Sunday morning hospitality example illustrates the fact that most issues require both a technical and an adaptive response. But the danger is for churches is only responding with technical solutions because they more easily present themselves, and thus never getting to the deeper challenges calling for adaptation. In the example of the church budget, layers could be peeled back to examine why the budget is in crisis. Perhaps the community around the congregation has changed. This may be the adaptive challenge facing the congregation. How has our community changed, and what new learning do we need in order to reconnect with our community context? This challenge would require new learning, experimenting, and skill development over a long period of time.
Discerning whether a situation calls for an adaptive response, or a technical response is a key part of a leader or group’s Balcony Work. (see 9.15.08 below) This work of gaining perspective is done in individual or group times of withdrawing from the action to reflect.
Avoid leadership failure. Develop the discipline of asking yourself: Does this situation require a response of a technical fix or rising to meet an adaptive challenge?
Stephanie Lutz Allen
stephanie@cultivatemission.org
Tags: Leadership
October 28th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Interesting to know.