And if you’ve ever whispered to yourself, “I’m not sure how much longer I can do this,” you are not alone.
But here’s what I’m learning: the path forward isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about building the capacity to adapt, to BE fully here, fully present, together.
That’s why I’ve been turning to the intersection of adaptive leadership and Emergent Strategy—two frameworks that don’t offer quick fixes, but offer something better: a way to stay grounded, curious, and collective in the midst of change.
You know me, I LOVE a good framwork or model, and goodness knows, I REALLY love TWO great models, connected and intertwined.
Geeking out on the intersections brings me much needed and welcome brain food, encouragement. I hope it sparks something for you too.
Adaptive Leadership, as defined by Heifetz, Grashow, and Linsky, calls on us to distinguish between technical problems (which have clear solutions) and adaptive challenges (which require learning, experimentation, and shifts in values or behaviors). It asks leaders to “get on the balcony”—to step back, see the patterns, and stay in the discomfort long enough to help a group grow through change, not avoid it.
Emergent Strategy by adrienne maree brown invites us to be in deep relationship with change. It’s about learning from nature, embracing complexity, and growing what we pay attention to. The tenets—fractal thinking, interdependence, nonlinear change, iteration, creating more possibilities, and trusting the transformative power of small actions—offer a grounded, liberatory approach to navigating uncertainty.
When woven together, these two approaches become not just a leadership philosophy, but a way of being:
Start small and stay connected: Adaptive leaders know change often begins with tension. Emergent Strategy reminds us that small shifts—tiny experiments in culture, policy, or practice—can ripple outward. Change doesn’t have to be massive to be meaningful.
Hold steady in discomfort: Both frameworks ask us to stay with the messiness of change. Adaptive leadership encourages productive disequilibrium. Emergent Strategy teaches us to trust that transformation is happening, even when it’s not linear.
Decenter control, amplify emergence: We are not the architects of change—we are participants. Adaptive leadership teaches us to mobilize others to do hard work. Emergent Strategy says we must listen deeply, respond to what arises, and honor the wisdom of the collective.
Practice iteration over perfection: In both approaches, trying, failing, learning, and trying again isn’t just allowed—it’s essential. Growth is not about being right. It’s about being in relationship, staying curious, and building muscle for the long game.
So what does this mean for us—those who are tired, hopeful, grieving, growing?
It means we get to stop pretending we’re supposed to have it all figured out. We get to lead with honesty. We get to say: This is hard. I don’t know everything. But I’m committed to learning with you.
It means we embrace strategy not as a rigid plan, but as a living, breathing commitment to transformation—starting from within, rippling outward.
And it means we remember, as adrienne maree brown says: “What you pay attention to grows.”
So, pay attention to rest. To justice. To relationships. To the brave and necessary questions. And to the tiny experiments you’re already making toward a more just, adaptive, and liberated future.
Keep going. What you're doing matters. Even the smallest ripple creates a wave.