Table of Contents
Preface xi
Acknowledgments xv
Part 1 Introduction: Purpose and Possibility
1 How to Use This Book 5
Overview 8
Adaptive Challenges and Adaptive Capacity 10
2 The Theory Behind the Practice 13
The Illusion of the Broken System 17
Distinguishing Technical Problems from Adaptive Challenges 19
Distinguishing Leadership from Authority 23
Living in the Disequilibrium 28
Observe, Interpret, Intervene 32
Experiment and Take Smart Risks Smartly 36
Engage Above and Below the Neck 37
Connect to Purpose 38
3 Before You Begin 41
Don't Do It Alone 41
Live Life as a Leadership Laboratory 42
Resist the Leap to Action 44
Discover the Joy of Making Hard Choices 45
Part 2 Diagnose the System
4 Diagnose the System 49
The Elegance and Tenacity of the Status Quo 49
Discover Structural Implications 54
Surface Cultural Norms and Forces 57
Recognize Default Interpretations and Behavior 63
5 Diagnose the Adaptive Challenge 69
Determine the Technical and Adaptive Elements 70
Listen to the Song Beneath the Words 76
Four Adaptive Challenge Archetypes 77
6 Diagnose the Political Landscape 89
Uncover Values Driving Behavior 91
Acknowledge Loyalties 93
Name the Losses at Risk 96
Realize Hidden Alliances 97
7 Qualities of an Adaptive Organization 101
Name the Elephants in the Room 102
Share Responsibility for the Organization's Future 103
Value Independent Judgment 103
Build Leadership Capacity 104
Institutionalize Reflection and Continuous Learning 105
Part 3 Mobilize the System
8 Make Interpretations 113
Notice When People Are Moving Toward the Left Side of the Chart 116
Reframe the Group's Default Interpretations 118
GenerateMultiple Interpretations 120
Audition Your Ideas 122
Generate a Diversity of Interpretations 122
9 Design Effective Interventions 125
Step 1 Get on the Balcony 126
Step 2 Determine the Ripeness of the Issue in the System 126
Step 3 Ask, Who Am I in This Picture? 128
Step 4 Think Hard About Your Framing 128
Step 5 Hold Steady 129
Step 6 Analyze the Factions That Begin to Emerge 130
Step 7 Keep the Work at the Center of People's Attention 130
10 Act Politically 133
Expand Your Informal Authority 133
Find Allies 136
Stay Connected to the Opposition 138
Manage Authority Figures 142
Take Responsibility for Casualties 144
Protect and Engage the Voices of Dissent 145
11 Orchestrate Conflict 149
Create a Holding Environment 155
Select Participants 158
Regulate the Heat 159
Give the Work Back 161
12 Build an Adaptive Culture 165
Make Naming Elephants the Norm 166
Nurture Shared Responsibility for the Organization 168
Encourage Independent Judgment 169
Develop Leadership Capacity 170
Institutionalize Reflection and Continuous Learning 171
Part 4 See Yourself as a System
13 See Yourself as a System 181
Your Many Identities 182
14 Identify Your Loyalties 187
Prioritize Your Loyalties 189
Name Your Unspeakable Loyalties 191
15 Know Your Tuning 195
Know Your Triggers 200
Hungers and Carrying Water 201
16 Broaden Your Bandwidth 205
Discover Your Tolerances 206
17 Understand Your Roles 209
What Roles Do You Play? 210
Identify Your Scope of Authority 215
18 Articulate Your Purposes 221
Prioritize Your Purposes 225
The Story You Tell Yourself 228
Part 5 Deploy Yourself
19 Stay Connected to Your Purposes 233
Negotiate the Ethics of Leadership and Purpose 233
Keep Purposes Alive 236
Negotiate Your Purposes 239
Integrate Your Ambitions and Aspirations 242
Avoid Common Traps 244
20 Engage Courageously 247
Get Past the Past 247
Lean Into Your Incompetence 252
Fall in Love with Tough Decisions 255
Get Permission to Fail 258
Build the Stomach for the Journey 260
21 Inspire People 263
Be with Your Audience 264
Speak from the Heart 269
22 Run Experiments 277
Take More Risks 280
Exceed Your Authority 282
Turn Up the Heat 284
Name Your Piece of the Mess 286
Display Your Own Incompetence 287
23 Thrive 289
Grow Your Personal Support Network 289
Create a Personal Holding Environment 292
Renew Yourself 295
Notes 299
Glossary 303
Index 309
About the Authors 325
