Marion & Uhl-Bien
Uhl-Bien, M., & Arena, M. (2018). Leadership for organizational adaptability: A theoretical synthesis and integrative framework. The Leadership Quarterly, 29(1), 89–104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2017.12.009
Description:
Complexity leadership theory (CLT) focuses on emergent processes within complex systems and suggests that leadership needs to operate at all levels in a process-oriented, contextual, and interactive fashion The model emphasizes the importance of social interactions within organizations yet also illustrates the key role of the leader in enabling change. The model is based on Systems Theory assumption, and is currently being and rejects the idea of Leadership as a linear process. It is based on the strong assumption of an external VUCA environment (Uhl-Bien and Arena, 2018).
Thea idea is that every organisation needs to practice three types of leadership: operational, enabling and entreprenarial. Instead of focusing on the traditional way of working, which always focused on the formal side of the operational system, more effort should be put in the Adaptive and Entreprenurial space. As such, the model clarifies that leadership needs to be diffused in the organisation, as every person can and must influence the organisation as a whole.