In this episode of the 5 Leadership Questions podcast, Todd Adkins is joined by Dr. Angie Ward, a leadership author and teacher with nearly 30 years of experience in church, parachurch, and Christian higher education ministry. She also serves as Director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Denver Seminary. They discuss the concept of adaptive leadership and its importance in today’s rapidly changing culture and churches. Dr. Ward shares insights and practical tools for agile and adaptive leadership, including managing leadership anxiety and understanding the emotional aspects of change management.

BEST QUOTES

“Especially when it comes to change and leading an organization, you’re going to have people that want to transfer their anxiety to you. It’s at that point that you must have a barrier up to be able to maintain a clean and clear point of view.” – Dr. Angie Ward

“Anytime there’s change, that introduces disequilibrium into the system, and then disequilibrium seeks stability.” – Dr. Angie Ward

“When you have everybody bringing their own things into a change situation in the organization, then then it’s not just what’s going on in the organization, but what’s going on in every individual person and in between every person in the system.” – Dr. Angie Ward

“We need to do that deep change on our own before we try to lead a system, an institution, an organization, or a group through that deep change.” – Dr. Angie Ward

Nobody’s going to say, “Let me give you extra time. Let me protect your time.” You must do it. You must block out those things.” – Dr. Angie Ward

“I wish I would’ve been aware of God saying, “This is who you are”, instead of all the external internal voices because that causes a lot of turmoil and doubt and trying to be somebody I’m not created to be.” – Dr. Angie Ward

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

Uncharted Leadership: 20 Case Studies to Help Ministry Leaders Adapt to Uncertainty by Dr. Angie Ward

At Your Best: How to Get Time, Energy, and Priorities Working in Your Favor by Carey Nieuwhof

Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport

Managing Leadership Anxiety: Yours and Theirs by Steve Cuss

Leading Change by John P. Kotter

The Change Monster: The Human Forces that Fuel or Foil Corporate Transformation and Change by Jeanie Daniel Duck

The Heart of Change: Real-Life Stories of How People Change Their Organizations by John P. Kotter and Dan S. Cohen

Dr. Angie Ward Website