Are you an adaptable leader?
Adobe
We are all wired differently—from our God-given capabilities to our weird little quirks and from our personalities to our impulse responses. We know this. We see evidence of our differences every day as we work with others.
It's what we choose to do with our knowledge of human differences that matters. The better we understand our wiring and the wiring of others, the better able we are to intentionally leverage and manage tendencies to show up best in all situations.
As the building blocks of the Adaptable Leader framework, we've built a list of common leadership postures every leader needs to be ready to step into.
Abstain:This posture says, "You are on your own." When abstaining, we stay out of the way and let others solve problems on their own. We remain passive and disengaged.
Empower:This encouraging posture says, "You've got this!" When we empower, we tell others we believe they are capable of more than they may think. We permit others to take the reins on things and celebrate them for doing so.
Equip:This is a teaching posture that says, "I'll show you how." We equip others with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to be successful.
Illuminate:When we illuminate, we shine a light and call attention to something. This is the posture we lean into giving both positive and constructive feedback.
Challenge: This posture expects more and isn't afraid to question things. This posture challenges the status quo and pushes people to do more or do things differently.
Direct: When we direct, we tell others what to do. We set the targets and communicate expectations.
Partner: We link arms when we partner. This is a posture of cooperation. We roll up our sleeves and actively engage in getting work done collaboratively with others.
Rescue: In contrast with the Empower posture, this posture says, "I've got this!" We put on our super-hero cape, swoop in, and save the day. Sometimes rescuing is motivated by a desire to help and other times it's motivated by pride.
Which of these postures come most naturally to you?Those are your default postures. Your default postures should be leveraged when appropriate and in service of the person or situation. You should be careful not to overuse you
Which of these postures come least naturally to you?Those are your stretch postures. You likely don't use your stretch postures very often—even if they are the best approach for a situation. Stretching your capacity to step into these postures will make you a more well-rounded, adaptable, and effective leader.
 | Miranda Carls is an author, facilitator, and certified leadership coach. She has a passion for helping Christian professionals show up as high performers and leaders at work while remaining firmly anchored in the truth of the Gospel. Having worked with start-ups, non-profits, churches, mid-size organizations, and Fortune 500 companies, she understands the dynamics of both secular and faith-based settings. Learn More » |
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