Bridging Passion and Purpose Through Adaptive Leadership
A guest post by Taryn Sexton
Recently I was asked why I do ‘this work.’ The answer flowed naturally. For 18 years I was a not-for-profit CEO, the majority of which were spent at the helm of organisations with the purpose of developing people for the benefit of their communities. I have always known I am passionate about contributing to thriving communities and always loved leadership development but struggled to connect the two.
How could I teach community leaders if I felt I had not fully met my own leadership potential yet? Would I be a fraud? I then realised the greatest impact I could have would be to combine my passions and devote myself to developing leaders for the betterment of the community.
I work with not-for-profit organisations and public sector institutions teaching adaptive leadership. The practice of adaptive leadership involves skill development in the following areas:
observing and diagnosing situations and complex challenges, to help us truly understand all perspectives on an issue;
assessing and managing interpersonal and organisational pressures that might impact the process of assessing or finding a solution;
creating the right environment for and promoting leadership as a ‘practice, not a position’ and building everyone’s capacity to contribute;
fostering curiosity and understanding.
I believe these skills are critical to informing the crucial conversations required to making systemic, organisational and societal changes. Adaptive leadership practice is intentional in surfacing difference and divergence to uncover new ideas as to what could be possible.
On 2–4 April 2025, I’ll be running my next Adaptive Leadership program for The Equality Project in Melbourne. The program is designed to support leaders in tackling the complex challenges involved in ensuring workplaces and communities are truly inclusive. Participants will develop practical skills to navigate difficult conversations, diagnose complex issues, and create environments where leadership is a shared practice. If you’re ready to enhance your ability to foster curiosity, surface new perspectives, and lead with purpose, I invite you to join us.
Changing hearts and minds to create a world that is as it should be, where all LGBTIQA+ people are valued and affirmed as full citizens, requires adaptive work. It is my hope that this program equips those doing the work with the skills and tools to succeed.
