A technical challenge can be solved with a known method, one that you have experienced or used in the past. An adaptive challenge requires an unknown method to resolve, which requires learning new methods, and usually takes more time than a quick technical fix to create adaptive change in organizations.
I facilitate the Executive Leadership Skills Series classes for the National Fire Academy nationwide, which is based on Ronald Heifetz's "The practice of adaptive leadership..." My students (fire department leaders in the U.S.) are surprised to learn that they have to learn new techniques to effectively lead their organizations because adaptive change is accomplished when people believe in the change, support and implement it themselves, as stakeholders in the organization's success.
Rogers Consulting facilitates team meetings and conducts custom classes to develop your organization's leaders to facilitate adaptive change. Contact us if you are implementing technical fixes and not accomplishing adaptive change in your organization, we can guide you to success.
I attended the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce business card exchange last night. When I told business members that I do management and marketing consulting, many small business owners told me that they need help with their online marketing because they do not have the time or knowledge to implement it themselves.
My first suggestion to them was to begin by developing a plan with a budget. If they don't know how to start that, they should talk to a marketing consultant, such as myself, to develop a manageable plan and budget to, not only implement online marketing, but also maintain it ongoing. It is the constant touch in your target market that brings inbound customers to purchase. Online marketing is a constant cycle of: content (e.g. blog, landing pages), SEO, emails, social media, online ads, mobile optimization, analysis and conversion. If your budget cannot accommodate working on all of the cycle stages, focus on a couple of them to start, then expand when you can afford it in time and budget.
My second suggestion was to hire a marketing consultant who knows how to do all of this and can maximize your results with what you can afford. Part of developing an online marketing plan is to define your desired results, this helps you to understand what it takes to achieve them. As you continue to analyze your online marketing efforts, you can modify the plan to put more effort in to what is working and less in to what is not for your business.
If you have questions or would like to meet for a free consultation, please contact me with your available dates and times, and we can set up a phone call, video call or face-to-face meeting.
I will be instructing "Exercising Leadership to Facilitate Adaptive Change" from the National Fire Administration's Executive Skills Series, in Georgia and Colorado in May.
A key element of the course is that change happens to us all of the time, whether we like it or not, but Adaptive Change happens when people believe in and support the change (maybe for the betterment of their organization or community).
Adaptive Change is hard to accomplish because there is usually no standard or known way to implement it, it requires good leadership techniques to work with others to be a part of the change process. Once a leader and team agree on why and how the change is needed, it takes vision and the ability to communicate it clearly and specifically to implement Adaptive Change -- a leader who can see the forest from the trees and helps others to do so.
This is a good idea for every-day use -- when we are struggling with small issues, stop and take a big picture perspective on your situation, look at it from a different angle, and you might help yourself and your team work through the issue and move forward!
