From control to connection:
Five ways adaptive leadership inspires action
Published on the 29 September 2025 by Professor Catherine Althaus
No matter where you look, we are increasingly living in an age that thrives on personalisation. Whether in the workplace or in life, people are increasingly seeking human connection as a prime motivator.
In a world defined by artificial intelligence and massive turbulence across all facets of society traditional leadership models, such as command-and-control, possess a certain power to be effective, particularly during times of crisis.
However, leaders who fail to think beyond an authoritarian perspective or recognise others and their needs risk alienating those who need to be mobilised.
The answer lies in adaptive leadership, an approach that embraces nuance, empathy, collaboration, and empowers teams and communities to lead together.
The shift towards personalised leadership
Most organisations remain structured around their status quo and approach complex challenges with technical solutions.
An adaptive model is about creating the conditions for genuine participation. Success requires diagnostic integrity. Leadership involves knowing when and how to let go of control, listening deeply, and inviting others into leadership practices.
By adopting a people-first approach, encouraging more bottom-up attitudes that are bespoke and tailored to the particular needs of individuals, leaders can instigate real systemic shifts.
This isn’t easy, but it’s essential to build trust, resilience and mobilise everyone together.
Five ways to put adaptive leadership in the driver’s seat
- Diagnose what’s needed
Every leadership challenge is unique, which means leaders must continually ask themselves: What is needed here and now?
The practice of diagnostic integrity encourages leaders to slow down, assess the situation, and respond with the approach best suited to the moment, rather than defaulting to past routines.
Leaders who do this open up new possibilities, empowering both themselves and others to act with clarity and purpose.
- Be part of the problem as well as the solution
Leaders are not above the mess; they are part of it. To lead effectively is to recognise the impact of decisions on everyone involved.
By being present, listening carefully, asking powerful questions and generating fresh interpretations, leadership creates a sense of shared effort and responsibility, ensuring the experience is a collective one, rather than a solo endeavour.
- Balance authority with collaboration
While the roles of authority and leadership are often confused, they serve very different purposes.
The command-and-control style provides order, direction, and protection and is essential in times of crisis. True leadership, however, is about mobilising people to confront adaptive challenges.
The real skill for today’s leaders lies in knowing when to exercise authority and when to step back and create the shared space needed for collaborative action.
- Navigate loss with empathy
Change is never easy, but in itself, change is not what we fear, rather it’s the loss of status, identity, relationships, or routines that come with it.
Leaders who recognise what’s truly at stake can guide their team through these adjustments with greater care.
By pacing and sequencing loss thoughtfully, giving people a voice and listening without judgement, leaders can foster the conditions for trust and choice.
- Care from within
Adaptive leadership is often demanding and draining. Without the proper self-care, this work can quickly become unsustainable.
Resilient leaders cultivate support systems, reflective practices, and moments that reconnect them to purpose. It is essential to have confidantes who are trusted allies, spaces and practices that restore energy and sparks that are reminders of purpose.
These practices are not indulgent; it’s a responsibility to the peoples and planet that demand our leadership.
The challenges we face today are rarely simple. They are often a blend of both command-and-control and adaptive approaches. The real skill lies in discerning the kind of leadership needed in each moment and responding with courage and humanity.