Trusting Leadership Beyond the Map
Leadership
Like many historical events introduced in my childhood, I had forgotten most of the details of the daring expedition of Lewis and Clark. Tod Bolsinger’s Canoeing the Mountains illustrates adaptive leadership practices through the challenges Lewis and Clark faced in their attempt to find a travel route across the western United States. Their response when they discovered the task was much larger and more difficult provides Bolsinger with rich examples of leading change.
Choosing an adaptive approach is generally not our default setting. We prefer to apply what we know and our proven problem-solving approaches to all future situations. Thorough planning presents another obstacle as we force reality to fit our assumptions so our plan can be implemented. The result is denial or, at best, delay as we choose to apply yesterday’s solutions to tomorrow’s challenges.
Lewis and Clark’s original plan called for canoeing waterways all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Their journey had not progressed too far when they confronted the reality that there was no continuous waterway, and even worse, they had to traverse the Rocky Mountains. Bolsinger could also have titled the book, When You Can’t Canoe the Mountains.
For Lewis and Clark, the reality before them was stark and clear. Unlike some more nuanced management situations, they were staring at mountain peaks, not consulting reports with multiple interpretations. An obvious need to change your approach can be a gift when a dramatic shift is required. Leaders who can help their team see the mountain peak facing them are much more likely to create momentum towards a completely new idea or approach.
Bolsinger identifies 3 key functional areas leaders must possess to lead an organization through adaptive challenges. The first is technical competency, or demonstrating the ability to lead in the “known territory.” If the leader has not shown they can lead effectively where the path to success is well documented, it is unlikely anyone will follow them in a situation full of uncertainty. Credibility of leadership before facing change is critical. Bolsinger writes, “No one is going to follow you off the map unless they trust you on it.”
The second functional area to bring about transformation is relational congruence. Leaders who build trust, demonstrate a high level of emotional intelligence, and express care create relationships that persevere when sacrifice and faith are the most important currencies. Congruence emphasizes a consistent and steadfast quality demonstrated before, during, and after the change. Placing a high value on relationships creates an environment to equally emphasize the mission.
The final functional area is adaptive capacity, which is at the heart of the leadership practices needed for transformation. Bolsinger describes the approach as one that “mobilizes a group toward the growth they need to face the disorientation and find the capacity to reframe their shared identity in a new expression of their shared mission.” Leaders help people to think differently about the present and the future. Facing a challenge for the first time requires shifting from executing what you know to developing a learning posture.
It is the combination of all three functional areas that creates the pathway, taking people from recognizing a changing situation to embracing a leader’s direction to developing the capability to achieve the mission. Lewis and Clark’s expedition vividly illustrated the importance of knowing what needed to remain constant and what needed to change. When leaders have developed technical competence, relational congruence, and adaptive capacity, they have a framework to communicate the change message clearly and cultivate leaders across the organization.