Flexible Leadership With Kevin Eikenberry

When I encountered the Cynefin Framework in an HBR article years ago, I did not adapt it to my work until I interviewed Bryce Hoffman, author of American Icon and Red Teaming. Bryce made the Cynefin Framework understandable and accessible. However, Kevin Eikenberry has gone a step further, showing leaders how to act when surrounded by varying problems they are trying to navigate with this sensemaking framework. He outlines these ideas in his newest book, Flexible Leadership.

Episode Highlights

1. The reason Kevin says Flexible Leadership is his most important work.
2. The role of Chief Potential Officer.
3. The three parts of flexible leadership.
4. Either/Rr vs. Both/And.
5. A closer look at unexamined habits (brilliant).
6. Kevin’s use of plausible-cause-analysis.
7. Mark’s favorite sensemaking stories are about Charlie Lightoller and the 1949 Mann Gulch fire.
8. The four quadrants of the Cynefin Framework.
9. Flexors and flexor thinking and pairings with the Cynefin Framework.
10. A recommended guest for Kevin’s podcast to discuss flexors–Doris Kearns Goodwin on Lincoln and Team of Rivals.
11. From overwhelm to playbooks to muscle memory.
12. Kevin’s reading habits and The Greatest Miracle in the World.

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Flexible Leadership: Five Important Lines

Uncertainty:

When we think about how much uncertainty we face at work and then look at these challenges, it is easy to see how uncertainty is perhaps an under-recognized problem in the workplace today. For us to lead effectively, we must learn how to navigate it more effectively and help our teams do the same.

Cynefin Framework:

This framework will give you a new way of seeing and making sense of your world (so you can act with greater confidence even in the face of uncertainty). Flexible Leadership isn’t solely based on the Cynefin Framework, but having this map will provide context and depth to our approach.

Flexor paired with Both/And thinking:

Flexor thinking reminds us that the right answers are rarely at the far ends of the spectrum, but rather somewhere in between. When we slow down enough to get past our habits, we can decide how to flex in a specific situation. Thinking in terms of Flexors allows you to consider what the right mix or balance in your approach could be rather than focusing on a single choice. Thinking and acting based on Flexors is
key to becoming a more flexible leader.

The habit spiral:

Multiple authors have popularized the idea of the habit loop or cycle. I like to think of it as a spiral—and since we are talking about adding positive habits, we’ll think in terms of an upward spiral. Consider this spiral as an endless feedback loop that creates automatic habits. The more times we loop, the more automatic the habit becomes. If the habit
helps us, the spiral moves upward (hello, compound interest!). If the habit doesn’t ultimately help us, we set ourselves up to be automatically doing things that don’t serve our best interests or results.

Regarding choice and Kevin’s favorite book:

Here is one of the most profound pieces of advice you will ever hear. It comes from Og Mandino, a businessman and an author of many books. Og wrote this profound truth: Use wisely your power of choice.

Important Links

• The Kevin Eikenberry Group
• The Remarkable Leader Podcast
• Amazon Author Page
• YouTube Channel

Episode Pairings