Which behavior is NOT one of the six leader behaviors in adaptive leadership?

In adaptive leadership, a crucial aspect is the ability to navigate and respond to complex challenges within an organization or community. The leader's behaviors are designed to guide organizations through change and to encourage a deeper understanding of the challenges presented.

One of the key behaviors in adaptive leadership is to identify the adaptive challenge, which involves recognizing the underlying issues that require change. Additionally, leaders are encouraged to get on the balcony, a metaphor for gaining perspective on the larger dynamics at play, and to maintain disciplined attention, which involves focusing on the essential issues without becoming distracted by the noise.

Ignoring distress is fundamentally contrary to the principles of adaptive leadership. Effective leaders acknowledge and address the distress that arises from adaptive challenges. This acknowledgment is essential for fostering resilience and facilitating collaboration as teams work through challenges together. Leaders must engage with the discomfort that adaptive challenges bring rather than avoid or ignore it, as this engagement is crucial for meaningful change and growth within the organization.

By embracing the distress that often accompanies adaptive challenges, leaders help their teams to develop adaptive capacities, learning to navigate difficulties in a constructive manner. This approach emphasizes the active role of a leader in managing not just the technical aspects of challenges, but also the emotional and psychological dimensions that arise in complex situations.