If the pace of change within an organisation is slower than the pace of change in its environment – it will become irrelevant.

In any time of significant disruptive change; some organisations adapt, some die or fade, and some new organisations emerge with a DNA better adapted to thrive in the current environment.

The skills required to lead adaptation are very different to those that may have served us well in more stable times. For example, we need to:

• Spend time scanning our external environment in order to spot the need for change early.
• Challenge assumptions we are making that no longer hold true.
• Remain resourceful under pressure, and help others to do the same.
• Empower people to figure out how best to respond, often by experimenting. Being humble enough to recognise we don’t know what will work and avoid pressure from others to give expert direction.
• Build buy-in to the changes required, to ensure the organisation can pivot at pace. There is often a lot of attachment to existing ways of doing things, and reactions to the proposed changes can be emotive.

These skills are increasingly front of mind in the selection of senior leaders. Fortunately, there are some standout organisations and leaders who can teach us a lot about how to not only survive but thrive in an environment of constant change.

Aim of the session:

The aim of this Learning Lab is to bring these essential skills for leadership to life, along with the most common traps that can inhibit the ability to act in an adaptive way.

What to Expect:

We will build on classic work in this area by the likes of Ronald Heifetz. We'll share our own learning about what works in the field, and help you apply it in yours. It will be a very experiential session, providing plenty of opportunities to practice and refine our adaptive skills in small groups.

Our Facilitator

The session will be led by MF Director John Bull, who heads up High Performance Research. John has worked with a huge range of organisations, teams, and leaders over more than 25 years, in sport, technology, business and the social sector. He combines a sense of fun with a focussed energy for helping people to make rapid breakthroughs. His deep expertise is offered with a lightness of touch and humility - key characteristics he's brought to bear so successfully in previous Learning Lab appearances.