Adaptive Leadership and Public Perception

As we saw in the 2006 film, The Queen, adaptive leadership is necessary in order to accommodate modern times. In the film, Queen Elizabeth II chooses to ignore the media after the sudden death of Princess Diana. The Queen was very set in her ways, believing it unnecessary to make a public statement. As a result, the press sketched her as very cold and out of touch with the public. Her constituents agreed with this depiction as well - her approval ratings dropped drastically, with 70% of the public disagreeing with the handling of Diana's death.

It wasn't until the Queen took up Prime Minister Tony Blair's recommendations that she was able to save her reputation. She finally agreed to fly the flag half mast over Buckingham Palace, support a public funeral at Westminster Abbey, and make a televised statement regarding Diana's legacy. Through this, her audience got the mediated reality they had been hoping for. While the authenticity of her remarks are up for debate, the British people finally heard one of their prominent leaders come forth regarding the ordeal, providing a sense of hope and direction.

Another example of adaptive leadership includes Barack Obama's use of social media in the 2008 presidential election. In another class I'm currently taking - "Organizational and Political Culture in a Networked Society" - Dr. Linda Gallant discussed how Obama's use of new media played a strong role in his ultimate success. Dr. Gallant described a recent presentation, "Web-based Social Media, Communication, & Politics," where she presented research showing that on Facebook - between January 7th and 14th of 2008 - Obama had 60% of supporters while Hillary Clinton only had 18%. Deftly using new media channels helped Obama gain this lead.

The ability to stay modern and understand the needs of people in present times contributes to a leader's success or failure. Queen Elizabeth and President Obama both illustrate how leaders who adapt are often more well-received by the public.