10 Leadership Books To Read For Learning An Adaptive Leadership Model

Change is inevitable and has always been a part of history. But in the 21^st century, change is not just expected; it is also rapid. With business models and work environments changing every few years, the people leading these organizations must also adapt to the change.

Hence, the need for adaptive leadership models is more relevant than ever before. Emerging leaders are getting trained to change their leadership styles on the go and adjust to ever-changing scenarios to ensure their organizations keep on track.

In this journey, as always, the book is the leader’s best friend. People who want to excel in their careers individually and serve bigger purposes in life collectively need to get hold of these books that are all about adaptive leadership and the way to success beyond money and power:

1.     The 12 Inch Rule of Leadership: Proven Strategies For Career Success – Dr. Kaliym Islam

 

Career projections have not been more uncertain in history. The rapid technological developments, the imminent threat of climate change, and the recent pandemic have rendered many career paths obsolete. Such times call for a new adaptive leadership model, and Dr. Kaliym Islam has answered the call with his most recent book on leadership published in May 2021. With a strong background in academics and training, Dr. Kaliym Islam has used years of learning to develop a leadership framework for the leader of tomorrow.

 

The book reveals a 12-Inch rule framework for career success, career transition and adaptive leadership roles. It is a great book for those stuck in their careers and looking for ways to break the barriers.

 

The cherry on top is the free leadership assessment for readers who buy the book online from amazon.com.

 

2.     The Practice Of Adaptive Leadership: Tools And Tactics For Changing Your Organization And The World - Ronald A. Heifetz, Marty Linsky, Alexander Grashow

 

Some books inspire people to move forward in their lives. Some books motivate people to change their paths after years of work in the wrong direction. But few books take the reader by the hand and provide a step-by-step guide to develop the traits of an adaptive leader within you. This is one of those books.

 

The authors experienced in leadership positions have compiled stories, diagrams, cases, tools, and worksheets that make their case for adaptive leadership as strong as ever. It is a handbook to keep if you see yourself going big in the future.

 

3.     Complex Adaptive Leadership: Embracing Paradox And Uncertainty - Nick Obolensky

 

15 years of research. 1,500 executives. 40 countries. Nick Obolensky has translated years of experience in top management and interactions with corporate executives to formulate a model for adaptive leadership.

The book revolves around the understanding of complex dynamic processes in leadership and teamwork. It gives a guide to follow on both levels – individual and organizational – to produce more yield from people and assets while incurring fewer costs.

 

4.     Adaptive Leadership: Learn To Use The Leadership Style That Suits The Situation Best – Ben Brearley

 

While researchers have been trying to find the ‘best’ formula for leadership, Ben Brearley asks us to embrace the uncertainty in the phenomenon of leadership. The answer to ever-changing business environments is adaptive leadership.

 

The book is a guide for leaders in a position to instigate a change and lead their teams with new vigor and passion that goes beyond the traditional models of leadership. The book's contents will guide you about which leadership is suited for which situation and help you identify the leadership styles you are not supposed to use in particular scenarios.

 

5.     Adaptive Leadership: Accelerating Enterprise Agility - Jim Robert Highsmith

 

Jim Robert Highsmith belongs to the software industry professionals list who adapted and preached the agile software movement. Now he wants the overall business functions to be transformed into lean processes that are flexible and dynamic.

 

The book is all about discovering new business opportunities when others see a flailing economy. It’s about organizing your company to encourage innovation and systems management that opens windows to new possibilities.

 

6.     The Situational Leader: The Other 59 Minutes – Paul Hersey

      The book encourages the leader within you to tell yourself – the situation calls for it. Paul Hersey has written a pocketbook for leaders to refer to whenever they feel stuck in a situation and wonder if their leadership style is working.

      The short book of 128 pages is one of the revered contributions to the literature about situational and adaptive leadership. The best thing about the book is its simplicity and how it takes everyday examples as the ground to make a case for complex problem-solving.

7.     Leading At A Higher Level: Blanchard On Leadership And Creating High Performing Organizations – Susan Fowler And Ken Blanchard

Ken Blanchard is famous for his books ‘One minute manager’ and ‘Raving Fans’. This book is also about leadership but focuses more on building world-class organizations with adaptive leadership skills.

While training you to target 'triple bottom lines' and envisioning a vivid future for your organization and your employees, the author also asks you to question yourself and go deep within to define leadership in your own terms. It is one of the books that will make you revisit your leadership concepts and give them new life.

8.     Situational Mindsets: Targeting What Matters When It Matters – Mary Lippitt

Situational Mindsets is a book about approach. It shows how changing your approach to a problem can produce solutions that are not visible at first.

In the first part of the book, the author shares the case of her client – Kate Hollander – in which she utilizes situational mindsets to solve the problems that have been bugging the company for a long time.

In the second part, the book unveils six critical mindsets to develop a flexible approach to solving problems.

 

9.     Situational Leadership A Complete Guide - Gerardus Blokdyk

More than a book, this is a guide for leaders willing to change their attitudes and routines to a new leadership lifestyle.

It invites leaders to use a self-assessment tool to ask questions about a situation's diagnosis, best practices, and possible solutions to the problems at hand.

 

10.  The 8 Dimensions Of Leadership: Disc Strategies For Becoming A Better Leader – Jeffrey Sugerman

      The author has used the DiSC® online personality assessment tool as the basis to choose the leadership style that works for you.The book identifies eight dimensions of leadership, their motivations and their blind spots so that you can choose the one best for you.