Adaptive leadership in academic libraries
| Published date | 08 January 2018 |
| Pages | 106-115 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/LM-06-2017-0060 |
| Date | 08 January 2018 |
| Author | Gabrielle Ka Wai Wong,Diana L.H. Chan |
| Subject Matter | Library & information science,Librarianship/library management,HR in libraries,Library strategy,Library promotion |
Adaptive leadership in
academic libraries
Gabrielle Ka Wai Wong and Diana L.H. Chan
Library, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong,
Hong Kong
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to outline the core ideas of adaptive leadership and relates them to
challenges confronting academic libraries.
Design/methodology/approach –The paper provides an overview of the adaptive leadership model and
highlights the key concepts. Recent initiatives at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Library are used as cases to illustrate how the model may guide the authors’focus to finding leverage points.
Findings –Using the model, the key role of positional leaders shifts from the traditional sense of giving
direction and protection to followers, to one that orchestrates the change process with the team through
difficulties and uncertainties, and to build culture and structure that facilitate adaptive changes.
Practical implications –Academic librarians can use the concepts and framework of adaptive leadership
to design change strategies and manage change processes.
Originality/value –This is the first paper introducing the adaptive leadership model to academiclibraries.
Keywords Leadership, Adaptive leadership, Change management, Academic libraries, Leader roles,
System thinking
Paper type Conceptual paper
Introduction
The traditional metaphor of seeing a library as “the heart of a university”is losing ground.
A modern academic library may be more like a crossroads community, in which users are
provokedand enabled to challenge their currentknowledge (Fowler, 2016). How can librarians
lead academic libraries to adapt to changing environments, and evolve from a traditional
collection-centric organization to an engaging, dynamic “crossroads community”?
The model of adaptive leadership, developed by Professor Ronald Heifetz of Harvard
University since 1994, emphasizes leading changes when organizations have to adapt to a
radically altered environment (Heifetz, 1994). Challenges that confront academic libraries
nowadays rarely come with clear boundaries; they even not present themselves with any
pre-defined paths to solutions. Libraries must explore the ways to tackle them, not only to
evolve to new roles, but also to thrive in these new roles. Adaptive leadership is, therefore,
a practice with good potential to guide academic libraries through complex challenges
and changes.
This paper outlines the core ideas of adaptive leadership and relates them to library
challenges. Recent initiatives of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
(HKUST) Library are used as cases to illustrate how the model may guide our focus to
finding leverage points.
Key elements in the adaptive leadership model
Adaptive leadership is the practice of mobilizing people to tackle tough challenges and
thrive (Heifetz et al., 2009). It embraces complexity and ambiguity in situations, and actively
pursues innovative solutions via organizational learning, creative problem solving,
experiments, and collaboration (Kezar and Holcombe, 2017). The roles of adaptive leaders
are different from those of the traditional view, which focuses on providing vision, solutions,
and directions to relatively passive followers under the leaders’protection. Instead, adaptive
leaders work together with the team to bring out tough issues, challenge established
Library Management
Vol. 39 No. 1/2, 2018
pp. 106-115
© Emerald PublishingLimited
0143-5124
DOI 10.1108/LM-06-2017-0060
Received 20 June 2017
Revised 20 June 2017
Accepted 20 August 2017
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0143-5124.htm
106
LM
39,1/2
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