There’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all leadership

Leaders often have a playbook of ideas and strategies, pulling out their ‘go-to’ approach when they feel it’s needed, thinking it’s worked in the past and will work again. They get surprised when things don’t go to plan.

Leadership is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor because context matters. Market trends shift, new competitors emerge and technological advancements redefine industries. An organization that is successful one day can find itself struggling the next.

When leaders confront such challenges, they must be open to taking a different approach. Leaders must be agile, ready to pivot their strategies and adapt their leadership style. This might mean re-evaluating business goals, restructuring teams or investing in new technologies.

It also means being open to feedback and willing to make tough decisions. At its core, it’s about being an adaptive leader.

Changing circumstances

Academics Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky pioneered the concept of adaptive leadership, which is founded on the principles of emotional intelligence, learning and growth, organizational justice and ethical behavior.

They distinguished between technical challenges and adaptive challenges.

Technical challenges usually have an easily identified cause and effect. While they may not be easy to solve, a leader can generally resolve them based on current knowledge, resources and expertise.

In contrast, adaptive challenges are far more systemic and complex because the root cause is difficult to identify. Indeed, what is assumed to be the issue can turn out to be false.

Resolving problems of this nature requires collaboration, new ways of thinking, a willingness to challenge assumptions and beliefs, and potentially the need to make significant changes.

In navigating the complexity, the adaptive leader spends time understanding the context by observing events and processes to identify potential hypotheses. These hypotheses are then tested to uncover the best intervention and way to proceed.

Contextualize your style

Countless leadership books offer long lists of attributes for effective leaders. However, the most effective leadership style is situationally driven – with circumstances dictating the best approach.

For example, if you are leading a crisis, you must make decisions quickly and often with limited consultation. Whereas, if you are guiding an organization through a large-scale transformation, you’ll need to be more consultative.

A leader who excels in a startup environment, characterized by uncertainty and the need for rapid decision-making, may struggle in a more established organization where processes and protocols are highly valued.

Success requires a willingness to assess your workplace’s unique needs and challenges and adapt your leadership style accordingly.

This approach requires a deep understanding of the organization’s culture, values, goals, broader industry trends and market dynamics.

Remember, during times of change, what’s needed from the leader changes. Consequently, be prepared to accept that it’s not just the team members around you who need to change; you do, too.

New environment, aligned approach

Entering a new environment elevates the need for change. Various studies report that 35–40 percent of senior hires fail within their first 18 months. The statistics are higher for lower-level roles.

A global talent management survey conducted over three years, involving 5,000 hiring managers and 20,000 new employees, found that only 19 percent of new hires go on to achieve success.

As author Michael Watkins writes in his brilliant book The First 90 Days: "Transitions are periods of opportunity, a chance to start afresh… But they are also periods of acute vulnerability, because you lack established working relationships and a detailed understanding of your new role."

Recognize your team individually

Having led teams before, when you move into a new team environment, you can assume that what has worked in a different environment may not work in this environment.

Context matters. Individuals matter. You are leading a team of unique personalities with different experiences and expectations.

What each team member needs from you to thrive and be their best will differ. I’ve frequently seen situations where leaders apply a templated approach to their team members, failing to recognize their specific and individual needs.

While you want to be consistent and fair in how you work and treat your team members, you also need to recognize that your team members need different things from you. Be ready to know them and lead each of them in a unique way so they can succeed.