Resources > APICS Operations Management Now > August 27, 2010, edition
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APICS Operations Management Now
August 27, 2010, edition
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APICS CEO
Abe Eshkenazi
CSCP, CPA, CAE |
Fostering Adaptive Leadership
It’s a provocative idea—“Leadership in a (Permanent) Crisis” is the headline that appears in the Harvard Business Review (HBR). The summary of the article is telling in itself: “When the economy recovers, things won’t return to normal—and a different mode of leadership will be required.” However, the article isn’t from this month’s issue of HBR; it’s from August 2009. Still, this idea resonates as strongly with me now as it did then—maybe even more so.
Ronald Heifetz, Alexander Grashow, and Marty Linsky write the following of what leaders face during these confusing times: “People clamor for direction, while you are faced with a way forward that isn’t at all obvious. Twists and turns are the only certainty. Yet you still have to lead.”
Whether you lead your business, your division, your department, or yourself alone, you may be tempted to “hunker down” by addressing what you know and what you can easily control. Instead, the authors call on leaders to practice something they dub “adaptive leadership.” Adaptive leaders, according to the authors, “use the turbulence of the present to build on and bring closure to the past. In the process, they change key rules of the game, reshape parts of the organization, and redefine the work people do.”
So how do you move from hunker down mode to the embodiment of adaptive leadership? The article presents three practices that will help get you there. First, successful leaders foster adaptation. They pioneer new practices while using proven best practices. Next, good leaders embrace disequilibrium. They make employees face the negative reality of the status quo and the need for change while not going too far by making employees feel they need to “fight, flee, or freeze.” Lastly, adaptive leaders nurture a culture of leadership. They empower employees throughout the organization to experiment and find solutions.
Excellence in the New Normal
Consider how you could implement the ideas presented in the HBR article. Not only is the economy unpredictable these days, but operations and supply chain management also operates in a fluctuating environment. APICS can help you lead your organization’s efforts. The theme of the 2010 APICS International Conference & Expo is Excellence in the New Normal: Best Practices for Global Supply Chain and Operations Management. I have had a number of people ask me about the theme: “What is the new normal?” Speakers will address what this means—urging attendees to acknowledge that things have changed and are changing still.
I encourage you to come and participate in all the APICS 2010 events, including the general sessions, the educational sessions, and the third-annual World Café. At APICS 2010, attendees will have the opportunity to interact with experts informally during networking luncheons and opening and closing receptions. Don’t miss this exciting event. APICS 2010 can help you lead your company’s global operations management and supply chain efforts now and into the future.
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How APICS Operations Management Now relates to you
Operations management is everywhere. Today, operations management professionals have unprecedented impacts on the global economy. Consider these questions and how today's edition of APICS Operations Management Now relates to you and your career.
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Are people’s roles at your organization fluid, with flexibility and openness encouraged?
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Can you share an example of you or your team employing a "can do" mindset to find adaptive solutions? How did it help position your business competitively?
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Does your business seek and reward innovation and change? How can your leadership style enable your employees to be more adaptive?
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