CHAPTER 7

Qualities of anAdaptive Organization

DIAGNOSING THE ORGANIZATIONAL system, the adaptive challenge at hand, and the political landscape in an enterprise takes time, careful thought, and courage. You have to improvise creatively and responsively as you engage stakeholders inside and across the boundaries of your organization. Some organizations have the keen external sensors, internal norms and a critical mass of people to do this. What distinguishes these enterprises? What makes some organizations more adaptive than others? We’ve identified five key characteristics:

1. Elephants in the room are named.

2. Responsibility for the organization’s future is shared.

3. Independent judgment is expected.

4. Leadership capacity is developed. ...

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