Adaptive Leaders
True or False? Must justify. Technical problems are always relatively easy to solve.
What is false? Technical problems can be complex!
This is the definition of a restraining force.
What is an existing force that is already in place and works against the intended change? (answers may vary).
True or false? Must justify. A collection of rocks on the beach is a system.
What is probably false? Systems require organization, integration, and a common purpose.
This is Professor Wildermuth's Happy Place.
What is Disney World?
True or false? Experts are very useful in solving adaptive challenges.
What is it false? What characterizes an adaptive challenge is the absence of an "expert."
This is the definition of a driving force.
What is an existing force that is already in place and pushes towards the intended change (answers may vary).
True or false? Must justify. If you see one system element, you probably understand the system.
What is false? You need to see the elements, interactions, and purpose to understand a system.
Immunity to change means that (a) people resist change, (b) we become immune to thinking about change, or (c) none of the above.
What is none of the above? The Immunity to Change model suggests that we logically work for an unspoken goal. Our stated goal is often not our real goal.
This is the definition of adaptive leadership.
What is the practice of mobilizing people to tackle adaptive challenges and thrive (answers may vary).
True or false? Must justify. One must weaken restraining forces by strengthening driving forces.
What is false? One weakens a restraining force and strengthens a driving force separately.
The word "tenacity" is it relates to systems means that...
What is "systems persist, they are very hard to dismantle, and tend to reproduce themselves (answers may vary).
In systems thinking, "dynamic equilibrium" means...
What is the outflow is the same as the inflow.
These are three of the five characteristics of an adaptive culture according to Heifetz et al.
Answers may vary but could include lack of time, family, and work requirements.
What is "every organization is perfectly aligned to achieve the results it currently gets" (Lawrence, cited in Heifetz et al., 2008, p. 17).
If a person weighed 150 pounds last month and lost 10 months this month, what is the person's "stock" (related to weight)?
What is 140 pounds? (the stock in this case is the person's weight)
Solving adaptive challenges requires: A. Cultural changes, B. Element changes, C. Leadership changes, or D. All the above.
What is cultural changes?
Disney's guests and employees experience considerable discomfort during the summer months. Disney wants to alleviate the problem. What are some restraining forces?
Answers may vary and could include sky-high retrofit costs, global warming turning Florida into a sauna, worries that giant cooling machines might mess with the Disney magic, and poor Mickey sweating through his fur while Goofy pretends everything’s fine.
If you change many students and faculty in a university, you probably won't change its culture. Why?
What is "changing the elements of a system is unlikely to change the system" (answers may vary).
Dr. W.'s profile and cover pictures on Facebook were taken in (a) Rio de Janeiro, (b) Magic Kingdom, (c) Animal Kingdom, or (d) Epcot?
What is (d) Epcot?