Adaptive Leadership: How to Think Clearly When the Rules Change | Francis Cholle

Send us Fan MailWhen uncertainty increases, many leaders respond by working harder, imposing more control and relying more heavily on rigid processes.That reaction can make the business less adaptable at precisely the moment it needs greater flexibility.In this episode, Peter Boolkah speaks with Francis Cholle, author of SQUIRCLE: A New Way to Think for a New World, about adaptive leadership, decision-making and balancing rational analysis with instinct and intuition.Francis uses the contrast between a golf course and a jungle.On a golf course, the route is predetermined. You move from one hole to the next according to an established process.In a jungle, there is no script. Conditions change, unexpected events occur and the path must continually be reassessed.Peter and Francis discuss:Why linear thinking becomes less effective during rapid changeThe relationship between logic, instinct and intuitionWhy some organisations adapt faster than othersHow rigid control can suppress creativity and resilienceThe importance of care, community and belongingWhy leaders must listen before attempting to solveHow one leadership team produced better strategic thinking after spending 75 minutes sharing its members’ personal realitiesWhy industrial-age management assumptions struggle with remote workThe limitations of applying KPIs without judgementWhy “getting back to normal” can become a dangerous objectiveHow fear causes leaders to tighten controlWhy resilience does not mean pushing indefinitelyThe connection between recovery, rest and sustained performanceWhy the destination may remain valid even when the route changesHow leaders can create the conditions for employees to contribute their best thinkingFrancis summarises one of the central lessons with a counterintuitive phrase:You sometimes have to lose time to gain time.Listening, reflection and recovery can look unproductive when viewed through the lens of immediate output. In reality, they may unlock better decisions, stronger commitment and more sustainable execution.For founders caught in the Hamster Wheel Trap®, the lesson is particularly relevant. Working harder and exerting more control are not always signs of effective leadership. Sometimes they are evidence that the organisation has become too dependent on the founder’s effort and judgement.Originally recorded during the 2021 pandemic. The lockdown references reflect that period, but the lessons about uncertainty, control, burnout and adaptive leadership remain relevant.LEARN MORE FROM FRANCIS CHOLLEWebsite: https://www.francischolle.com/SQUIRCLE Academy: https://squircleacademy.com/CONNECT WITH PETER BOOLKAHWebsite: https://www.boolkah.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/boolkahInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/pboolkah/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BoolkahX: https://twitter.com/boolkahABOUT PETER BOOLKAHPeter Boolkah is a business coach, author and speaker who has spent more than 20 years helping business owners build stronger, more valuable businesses that do not depend on them for everything.He is the creator of The Hamster Wheel Trap® and author of Your Business Sucks: Build a Business That Works Without Destroying Your Life.Peter works with founders and leadership teams on the issues that ultimately determine whether a business creates freedom or becomes another job: leadership, founder dependency, people, profit, execution, scaling, exit readiness and enterprise value.His approach is direct, practical and built around one simple question:Do you own the business, or does the business own you?Learn more at https://www.boolkah.com