Identifying and Hiring Leaders

This past week I had the chance to attend the Randall L. Tobias Center for Leadership Excellence’s Multi-sector Leadership Forum in Indianapolis. While there, I read this prompt and thought I would use it as my lens for this learning opportunity. Vickie Cook, Dean of the School of Education at Greenville College, discussed leadership needed for schools of education. She commented that it is hard to identify and hire the leaders needed for the future. When I asked why this is the case, she responded that it has to do with the culture of the educational institution hiring process. After being a part of a hiring process myself earlier this year for a tenure-track position at a research university, I have an appreciation for her point. But I think it also boils down to the fact that in academia (and most fields) people are hired, first and foremost, for his or her expertise followed by their teaching or research (if applicable). These elements have a tendency to build egos and not value the ‘soft skills’ of adaptive leaders.

Juana Bordas of Mestiza Leadership International discussed the need for multi-cultural leaders who learn from the past; look for and appreciate a collective identity; and have a spirit of generosity. These leadership attributes are closely aligned with adaptive leadership principles. From Juana’s remarks I could imagine some signs of these leaders are the way they talk about their experiences…who they learned from, how they honor their culture and background, the respect they show for equality and diversity, and how they share successes and show gratitude with others.

Jean Lipman-Blumen of the Drucker School of Management discussed the need for ‘connective leaders’ who understand that "the world has changed, and we must change with it." These leaders know themselves and others and recognize the interconnections that bind us all together. “They see leadership not as personal privilege, but as communal responsibility. They balance the needs of themselves and others through collaboration, mutual respect, and encourage all to assume responsibility at every level.”

In summarizing these remarks, it has affirmed for me the critical need for ‘adaptive leaders,’ especially as Stephen points out the Level 5 leaders attempt to mitigate ambiguity, while adaptive leaders cultivate it. I do agree with Mark that, “ironically, the strongest ‘adaptive leaders’ are often marginalized in the selection process.” My experience says that Kim is right about cultivating a culture of adaptive leadership and identifying the attributes that support it…and then hiring to those. Regardless of the title (connective, adaptive, etc), there are attributes of these leaders we can see and identify. Those who are known for selflessly making connections that raise the whole ship and support others. In the end, my gut can usually tell who ‘gets it’ and anytime I have not trusted it, I’ve been sorely disappointed.

STIMULUS
I believe that the weakness of Adaptive Leadership principles are in the identification and selection of what Jim Collins (2005) describes in Good to Great as ‘Level 5’ leaders. Leaders who have a rare combination of fierce professional determination coupled with a personal humility. Clearly, while their professional perspective is relentlessly driving results, their approach is more like a world-view, a form of being that recognizes the collective success of their organization to be much greater than their own. Ironically, the strongest ‘adaptive leaders’ are often marginalized in the selection process.

So how does a company find such folks? To me they are virtually unidentifiable.