Our Adaptive Leadership Approach
We're committed to building the leadership approach needed to facilitate trust and constructive collaboration.
Our adaptive leadership approach forms the backbone of our work
Adaptive Leadership is a language, framework and set of tools and practices for leading change during times of transition, uncertainty and possibility. It was developed over 35+ years at Harvard Kennedy School. Adaptive Leadership transcends conventional notions of leadership, inviting us to embrace the discomfort of the unknown. At its core, Adaptive Leadership is a call to action — to challenge the status quo, disrupt conventional thinking and inspire courageous and inclusive action.
Leadership Moment methodology
When things need to get done and a lack of communication, transparency or trust stalls critical work, ACA brings people who don’t see eye-to-eye together in unparalleled ways. Using our Leadership Moments Methodology, we quickly bridge divides that restore authenticity and agency.
Leadership Moments are the daily opportunities that anyone in your organization can take to create consequential change when and where it’s needed most. The Leadership Moments Methodology is designed to help your team:
Recognize leadership moments
Accurately assess the appropriate action to take
Build allies and partners to carry out action, while strengthening motivation, cohesion and trust
Create a culture of leadership
Why focus on Leadership Moments?
You have at least five leadership moments every day. Every day. Whether it’s stopping reinventing the wheel, infighting and politics, or diverting attention to “problems” that don’t need to be solved…would you recognize a leadership moment when it comes your way? And do you know what to do when it does?
1) Identify the Leadership Moment
Leadership is inherently risky because it challenges the status quo. We provide the tools necessary to see the Leadership Moments in your day-to-day interactions and take constructive action.
2) Define the “Work” of Leadership
Often, the right solution hasn’t been found because the real problem hasn’t been clearly identified. We help you diagnosis the challenge, find the root cause, stop wasting time and resources.
3) Build Allies and Partners
Leadership never happens in a vacuum. Others need to be a part of the change if it’s to last. Together, we’ll mobilize people throughout your organization to tackle challenges that have no known or easy answers.
4) Create a Culture of Leadership
Leading meaningful change is possible, and even fun. Partner with us to build leadership capacity deep in your organization in order to sustain the change.
Mission and Leadership Strategy
Leadership isn’t — and never was — the exclusive domain of elites or those with money.
There are many good people who don’t have the skills or access to opportunities to change the world. Yet they have a deep desire to do something and yearn for a meaningful life. When our designated ‘leaders’ do not or cannot do enough, we must all think about what roles we can play to change things for the better. It’s incumbent we find a way to act and not just hope.
Often, the first step is crossing a perceived boundary to talk with someone who doesn’t think exactly as we do. The second step is sustaining the conversation beyond when it gets tough.
Our biggest challenges aren’t the differences that lie between us, but rather the belief that we don’t have it in us to make change possible, to lead. The reality is: we do have it in us.
It takes each of us doing what we can to leverage the Leadership Moments in front of us to accomplish extremely long-term goals with life-changing impact — those that may take decades or even a century to reach like tackling climate change, increasing equity in our societies and dismantling systemic discrimination.
The question is, would you recognize a leadership moment when it comes your way? And do you know what to do when it does?
Partner with ACA to leverage your own leadership moment.