The Adaptive Leadership Model
Adapted from a panel discussion at the 2023 General Manager Leadership Summit
The level of event that constitutes a ‘crisis’ is subjective. Certainly, widespread events that threaten to knockout operations constitute a crisis. But what about staff vacancies that can’t seem to be filled, or perception issues that draw negative press and undermine credibility with constituents? The way to be prepared for the nuance of crisis levels is through planning and mindset.
At the General Manager Leadership Summit, a panel discussion of seasoned leaders addressed the planning and mindset shift needed to weather the inevitable storm of crises of all levels. Moderated by Institute for Local Government (ILG) CEO and Executive Director @Erica Manuel, the panel included Alameda County Mosquito Abatement District General Manager and CSDA Past President @Ryan Clausnitzer, Clovis Veterans Memorial District General Manager @Lorenzo Rios, and newly Retired General Manager of MidPeninsula Water District @Tammy Rudock.
Here are some key factors the panel presented to be ready to successfully navigate tough times:
Be an Adaptive Leader
This includes anticipating challenges and planning for the future, articulating the vision and direction needed, adapting operations and leadership based on the assessment and being accountable for the outcome. Adaptive leaders also consider organizational fairness in their policies and decisions, promote and model integrity, encourage professional development and consider emotional awareness when working with their team.
Ask your team what their dream job looks like, then work to build in elements of it.
Inclusion Builds Ownership
Including appropriate team members in organizational planning and operations is important on a number of levels. It infuses layered leadership in the team, if one person were to be unexpectedly unavailable, the team could continue its progress because of the shared information. This sharing of information across teams builds bridges and encourages growth and collaboration across cultural and educational divides.
Longevity can be a challenge in relatively flat organizations. Special district operations tend to run with lean teams, inherently limiting upward mobility because of the small number of layers in the agency. Encouraging staff to work toward personal growth through outside training as well as cross-department knowledge, or allowing personal flexibility such as hybrid or customized work schedules when feasible are accommodations that encourage loyalty.
Avoid coming to interactions with a win/lose mindset; instead, communicate to understand
Beware the Bubble
Leaders may unknowingly find themselves in an information bubble. Staff may give the leader information they think the leader wants to hear, rather than the information the leader needs to hear. This can lead to critical errors in decision making. The way to get beyond the bubble is to move from a leadership position of control toward one of influence.
Leaders that control situations create teams that are unable to make decisions. Instead, a strong leader will empower their teams to make decisions, equipping them with information so they can take disciplined initiative. For this to be successful, the leader must also foster an environment where each person takes responsibility for their decisions. When problems arise, and they will, it is important to address them early and privately to assess, fix and recover from the mistake.
Trust is built when leaders empower their team, give ample credit where it is due, address problems dispassionately and productively, and encourage growth.
Don't be so invaluable you become the achilles heal.
Be Ready to Pass the Baton
Succession planning should be an ongoing process built into the operation. While not all turnover is predictable, some can be foreseen. Take into account the age of your workforce, and whether they are vested, to gain insight into possible upcoming transitions for retirement. Develop a process where documentation exists for each position’s standard operating procedures. In foreseeable situations such as retirement, communicate with the board to consider overlapping staffing between the upcoming retiree and their successor for a smooth transition.
Strong leadership begins with self-reflection and awareness. Identifying areas that can be improved, polling the staff to give them a voice for requests or concerns, and developing models to work toward cohesion are all steps that will foster collaboration and trust. Sure, these things take time out of a busy day, but once they are ingrained in the organization the result will be increased workforce satisfaction and a functional team that increases efficiency and is nimble in adversity.