The Need for Organisational Resilience Chapter 5

not to be despised; in point of fact it is the same energy of feeling, only exercised as a kind of passion

without any co-operation of the intelligent faculties. It is only when it strikes at the root of obedience;

when it treats with contempt the orders of superior authority, that it must be repressed as a dangerous

evil, not on its own account but on account of the act of disobedience, for there is nothing in War

which is of GREATER IMPORTANCE THAN OBEDIENCE. (Adapted from Von Clausewitz 2011, 79)

[TEXT BOX ENDS]

Unfortunately, the gallant fight by the French at Sedan was hampered by administrative

shackles, imposed by a strategic, operational and tactical ‘straight-jacked’. In this regard, the

commitment that front-leadership infused into their troops was bordering to foolhardy, as the

Germans continued to have the strategic and operational upper hand.

Translation and Explanation: Adaptive Leadership versus

Administrative Leadership

As with the other concepts in this book, there are many nuances. On Leadership, many

perspectives exist. For reasons of simplicity, the focus here will be on administrative versus

adaptive leadership. As already introduced earlier in this chapter, administrative leadership

refers to planning, coordinating and orchestrating tasks in line with a predefined direction.

Successful administrative leaders are able to establish, maintain and improve operational

functions.

Adaptive leadership is about the creation of operational functions, fostering learning and

adaptive ideas, the development of new directions or simply the change in direction. Table

5.2 shows some key differences between these two styles of leadership.

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