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Ronald Heifetz, Alexander Grashow, and Marty Linsky. The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization and the World. Boston: Harvard Business Press, 2009, 304 pages, $24.96 soft cover.
The Practice of Adaptive Leadership is reported by the authors to be a book written for leaders in order to help their organizations, communities, and society thrive in a changing world. It was created as a tool to help individuals and organizations develop the capacity for change. "The Practice of Adaptive Leadership is a field book for two reasons: First, we have written it from the field, drawing on our experiences with thousands of people who are trying to create something better from the current reality. Second, we have designed it for the field, to be a day-to-day utility in your own leadership efforts" (page 5).
This book strikes me as addressing a very real need as organizations face changes and challenges at a rate not typically seen in the past. Changes in operating environments require that leaders at all levels be equipped to address and exploit opportunities that arise out of uncertain and less predictable conditions. Developing adaptive capacity and adaptable leaders will be an important pursuit in the coming decade.
The authors address some useful concepts and practices in the book; these are addressed in die Overview: "In this book, you will find ideas, resources, practices, and examples meant to help you lead adaptive work in whatever context you work. In each chapter, you will find framing ideas and illustrative stories followed by reflections, which we have called 'On the Balcony,' and exercises, which we have called 'On the Practice Field.' The 'On the Balcony' reflections are designed to provide you with a focused and structured way to think about the ideas and stories you have just read in light of your own experience. And the 'On the Practice Field' exercises...