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Catalyzing capacity: absorptive, adaptive, and generative leadership
- Source :
- Journal of Organizational Change Management. 32:356-376
- Publication Year :
- 2019
- Publisher :
- Emerald, 2019.
-
Abstract
- Purpose Organizations increasingly operate under volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) conditions. Traditional command-and-control leadership can be ineffective in such chaotic environments. The purpose of this paper is to outline an alternative model to help leaders and organizations navigate effectively through VUCA environments. By developing three fundamental capacities (absorptive, adaptive and generative), leaders can cultivate organizations capable of continuous synchronization with their fitness landscapes. Central tenets of the framework include diversity, slack, learning, humility, reflection in action and abductive logic. Design/methodology/approach This framework is designed based on literature insights, conceptual analysis and experts’ judgment. The paper integrates knowledge from a variety of disciplines and interprets them through the lens of complex adaptive systems. Findings This paper argues for a process centered, contemplative approach to organizational leadership and development. By providing the underlying rationale for the proposed interventions (e.g. Ashby’s law of requisite variety), the paper also reorients busy leaders’ mental models to show why these time investments are worth implementing. Practical implications This actionable framework can help leaders and organizations be more effective operating in a VUCA context. Originality/value This paper provides a historic context as to why prediction and certainty are favored leadership strategies, why these approaches are no longer suitable and specific steps leaders can take to develop absorptive, adaptive and generative capacities to transform their organizations. Its scholarly contribution is the synthesis of disparate bodies of literature, weaving those multiple academic perspectives into a practical roadmap to enhance organizational leadership.
- Subjects :
- Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management
Knowledge management
Computer science
Fitness landscape
business.industry
Process (engineering)
Strategy and Management
media_common.quotation_subject
05 social sciences
General Decision Sciences
050801 communication & media studies
Context (language use)
Certainty
Variety (cybernetics)
0508 media and communications
Leadership studies
Management of Technology and Innovation
0502 economics and business
Synchronization (computer science)
business
050203 business & management
media_common
Diversity (business)
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 09534814
- Volume :
- 32
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Organizational Change Management
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi...........2bd080f040f251ff7a20e8e5490ebed2