Reset or Perish: A Guide to Adaptive Leadership

In a recent article published by the World Economic Forum, author Nisha Ramchandani suggests that leaders must reset or perish. 

In a crisis like COVID-19, leaders need to be adaptive. Flexibility and resilience are key. Adaptive leaders are what psychologists term "interpersonally flexible" – they can switch between different working styles to different situations and contexts. An adaptive leader could, for example, be naturally extroverted and therefore more assertive and talkative with their clients.

However, they would also be able to adjust and modulate their behavior when speaking to a team that is primarily made up of introverts who prefer to think a problem through rather than brainstorm. Adaptation is not for leaders only; to survive change, every individual must adapt too and as fast as is humanly possible. In the current pandemic it is not difficulty to imagine the benefits of these skills in action with remote teams and uncertain market conditions.

For these reasons, Eller Executive Education launched a virtual series Leadership Readiness for Turbulent Times in March. In just a few months, more than 175 leaders from various industries and organizational levels to develop their leadership skills to add value to their organizations. These online sessions have been offered on a Pay What You Can model to ensure access for all. Rather than providing webinars, Eller Executive Education offers these 90+ minute courses where esteemed Eller College faculty are sharing insights into developing relevant leadership skills with participants who network in breakout groups to respond to challenging prompts. More information can be found here.