¿Cuáles son las características del liderazgo adaptativo y cómo se pueden aplicar a la gestión de programas?

Adaptive leadership is the flexibility to change leadership styles to respond to an evolving situation by effectively drawing from each team member’s strength.

Being adaptive is a must for leadership. Each business/program/project is unique in its own way, so the leader must be adaptive. Adaptive leaders will always remain curious, open to learn new things and thrive in new environments as per business/program requirements.

Adaptive leadership as the name states is TO ADAPT to a certain situation or scenario. It doesn't matter if you are a project or program or portfolio manager, adaptive leadership applies to everybody. Everybody have to adapt to certain situations which are good for their project/program/portfolio.

Being open-minded and willing to grow and change for the betterment of not only themselves, but for their organization as a whole. Adaptive leadership is being able to learn from the people around them whether the people are in positions above or below them. It is understanding the culture of your organization, and being open, honest, and transparent about what is working and what is not. To make decisions that may be difficult and/or not popular, and having the patience to get people's feedback and buy-in to ensure your team is working together towards the goal. In program management you must constantly pivot, so being complacent is not an option. We should always strive for how we can do things better and more efficiently and effectively.

In my experience, Leadership is not a reactive framework - In complex projects what comes to play is how Leaders lead and steer the course to tackle ‘situations’ that arise, especially from external factors. In this ‘steering’ is where Adaptive leadership comes to play, managing the complex equation of resource and objectives. Here are some of my key factors. > Anticipation is key - when different possibilities are factored in, a prepared team is indeed a better team. > Innovation: Finding smart and timely ways to deal with the challenge will win the game. > Pivoting without deviating - requires staying rooted and acting without changing the core principles. > Fix the cause, not the optics > People first - being sensitive and sensible!

Adaptive leadership is highly relevant for program management, it requires high flexibility, problem solving, stakeholders engagement,  new learning and clear documentation. Complex projects often involves dealing with uncertainty, change requests, and unforeseen huddles. Adaptive leadership skills will always enables program managers to respond and adjust plans in real-time, adapt to changing circumstances, and be flexible in their decision-making

Adaptive leadership is a critical lever in navigating program management. It is having the forethought that your original plan will not survive your first big battle or challenge, and to set milestones to take “tactical pauses” and do “After Action Reviews” for continuous learning and pivoting as necessary to see through to the goal. And also have the awareness for the team to be empowered to stop or pause as needed along with way. For this to work, there needs to be a foundation of trust in the team, as well a clear leadership expectations and success factors.

For a Program Manager, adaptiveness and ambidexterity are indispensable skills in navigating the dynamic terrain of modern business operations. The business landscape presents constant challenges and unforeseen changes. As a Program Manager, your role is to orchestrate complex initiatives that frequently encompass diverse teams and multifaceted tasks. In addition, you must deftly juggle the pursuit of innovative ideas and the efficient use of existing resources to attain your program's objectives. By embracing these qualities, you have the ability to pivot strategies and tactics as circumstances demand, maintaining equilibrium and focus amid the chaos, and ultimately securing the triumphant execution of your projects and programs.

Adaptive leadership is instrumental in a program manager’s success in navigating the complexities of programs and projects, in addition to the complexities of relationships, competing priorities, organizational politics and culture.

A seasoned Program Managers are akin to skilled juggler; in addition to managing human stakeholders, they are tasked with the delicate balance of overseeing time, scope, cost, and quality, often without any authority. While they can offer recommendations or must communicate up/down, they often lack the final decision-making power. Navigating a program through this intricate web demands a range of leadership skills, sometimes explicitly, but more frequently implicitly. The success and fulfillment of a program's objectives hinge on the Program Manager's ability to adapt their leadership style based on the program's various phases, the individuals they are working with, and the criticality of the situation at hand.

Hard not to sound cliché as these are all well-known project management concepts that are rebranded cyclically, but truly, in an unprecedent era of rapid change and uncertainty, reacting is unavoidable sometimes. What works for me is establishing strategies to manage uncertainty and surprises. Adaptive leadership in program management is the art of orchestrating flexibility without compromising on strategic vision. It's about fostering a culture that embraces change and leading teams through uncharted territories.

A Program Manager needs to be adaptive and ambidextrous to effectively navigate a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) environment. This enables them to respond to volatility, handle uncertainty, tackle complex problems, navigate ambiguity, manage risks, foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement, plan for multiple scenarios, and establish effective communication with the team and stakeholders. These qualities are invaluable in ensuring that programs remain resilient, adaptable, and ultimately successful in the face of the unpredictable challenges posed by a VUCA environment.

Adaptive leadership is characterized by flexibility, resilience, and the ability to navigate change effectively. In program management, these traits can be applied by fostering a culture of adaptability, embracing iterative approaches, and promoting collaboration. Adaptive leaders encourage continuous learning, anticipate and address challenges proactively, and empower team members to pivot when necessary, ensuring that programs remain responsive to evolving requirements.

Adaptive leadership in program management calls for self-awareness, navigating ambiguity, a learning mindset, building relationships, resilience, and empathy. Program managers must adapt, collaborate, and innovate while understanding their strengths and limitations. They should be agile in adjusting strategies, fostering continuous improvement, and displaying perseverance. Building strong relationships and empathizing with stakeholders fosters engagement and success in complex environments. By embodying these characteristics, program managers can effectively steer programs and drive positive outcomes.

It’s helpful to be able to understand if the programme context is complicated or complex, as these require different approaches in how to make decisions and adapt the path forward. In complicated programme contexts, a programme manager can draw upon a range of good practices and select the appropriate one to adapt to the complicated context. If it’s truly complex then good practices are not going to be sufficient. In a complex programme context then the way forward is based on emergent properties. Using a sense making framework such as the Cynefin framework helps to understand if the programme context is complicated or complex.