The Need for Organisational Resilience Chapter 5

Administrative Leadership

Adaptive Leadership

Focus

The focus of attention is on tasks; how to realise task execution in an aligned

How to carry out tasks are secondary to defining and creating value-adding

manner. Policies, rules and procedures define how tasks are being carried

outcomes, through relationship-based leadership. As a result, policies, rules

out. Orientation is towards control, outlining what people can’t do.

and procedures are defined to encourage a ‘can-do’ attitude among people.

Superior-Subordinate Relationships

In its most simple form, leadership in a centralised organisation is associated

The latitude of decision-making power allows a subordinate to act in

with the setting of clear instructions to be carried out by subordinates.

obedience to the intent, but also allows freedom to define how he or she

Obedience is part of the relationship between superiors and subordinates,

accomplishes it. This requires a different form of development for

and this is (either tacitly or explicitly) acknowledged by both sides. The

subordinate leaders. The objective is not only to train subordinates, but to

leader’s authority may be characterised by the ability to issue some form of

develop their capability to think on their feet, to assess and to be creative in

punishment for non-compliance. As a result, a personal relationship does not

addressing the situation at hand. As a result, such development may

necessarily have to be established if the management style is primarily

include a greater understanding of the broader organisational strategy and

transactional in nature.

more focus on the ‘why’ to allow decisions to be taken with a greater

knowledge of the wider context and with a longer-term view. The

relationship between superiors and subordinates is less likely to be

distinguished by hierarchical authority or rank but rather by a closer

coaching-like relationship, building more on social commitments.

Culture

Traditional values and cultures are reinforced. Such values may include

Values such as conflict, criticism, creativity and responsiveness are

obedience and loyalty.

emphasised and fostered (see chapter 4).

Assessment

Leaders are assessed by their ability to reinforce administrative structures;

The reward to leaders is defined by their ability to innovate, learn, adapt

reward is driven by aspects of efficiency, transparency, consistency,

and deal with change in the environment.

continuous improvement and predictability.

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