Safe Space: Nurturing Holding Zones as a Critical Component of Adaptive Leadership

• In Event: Interactive Roundtable Discussions & Member Community Information Tables
  In Interactive Roundtable: Leadership Development Interactive Roundtable Discussions

Short Description

Our entry point is a case study of adaptive leadership theory in the Church of the Nazarene in the USA, where the lack of safe space has become a significant problem for pastors. The discussion will be expanded to consider the implications of safe space for leaders coping with adaptive changes in other contexts.

Detailed Abstract

Research demonstrates that protestant churches in North America face a clergy crisis of high stress with little social support, resulting in anxiety, isolation, burnout, and low retention of pastors. The Church of the Nazarene follows similar trends, and young pastors in particular report a desperate need for but lack of safe space to discuss difficult or controversial issues. The presenter will share brief insights from preliminary original research of Nazarene clergy in various settings. This research tentatively indicates that the Church of the Nazarene in USA is struggling with key components of adaptive leadership, particularly with facilitating safe space or “holding zones” in which the difficult discussions for adaptive change can authentically occur.

Adaptive leadership theory proposes the use of “holding environments” or what are sometimes called “safe spaces”. These can be “real or virtual spaces where people can address the adaptive challenges that confront them” (Northouse, 2016, p.273). The main purpose is to provide a healthy environment for dealing with “conflicting values that emerge in changing work environments and social contexts” (Northouse. 2016, p.275). They must “provide safety and structure for people to surface ideas they have on the challenging situation they all face. … The harder the adaptive work, the stronger the holding environment must be” (Heifetz, Grashow, & Linsky, 2009, pp.155-156). To be successful, the moderators must “construct this space with ground rules for discourse and behavior” (Wexelbaum, 2016, p.15).

The round table discussion will utilize this denominational case study as a lens into the broader issues of adaptive leadership in other organizations. In the church, there are long-standing traditions which can, at times, seem at odds with contemporary society. This can easily lead to tensions between, “(1) tradition and adaptation, (2), preservation and innovation, and (3) stability and change” (Ledbetter, Banks, & Greenhalgh, 2016, p. 42). Many organizations experience the same tensions between these polarities. The use of safe spaces could be a powerful way to navigate the conversations necessary for adaptive change.

Complex and geographically dispersed organizations (e.g. franchises) who also share significant core values may find particular parallels to a denominational structure. The denomination provides the “brand” and a central hub of activity, policy, and direction. However, the local establishments have significant leeway in customizing the organizational functions according to the needs of the local context and according to the philosophy of the local leaders. When there is a high loyalty to tradition and the reality of contemporary struggle, these organizations need to find ways to facilitate dangerous and difficult discussions about the identity and future of the organization. Safe space is the foundational element for this organizational soul searching.

Potential Discussion Questions:
The entry point to our discussion is the challenge facing young pastors who report a desperate need for, but cite a lack of, a safe space to discuss difficult or controversial issues. For the topic of this discussion session, we would pose the following potential questions for consideration:
1. What studies of precedence around the importance of safe space, or adaptive leadership, should be considered in this discussion?
2. What methodology(ies) would be advised to determine the significance of safe-space as a correlating factor to young pastors’ job satisfaction and possible turnover within the church?
3. What are the key elements of safe space that might be measured in various settings?
4. Although our entry point to this discussion is a Protestant denomination in America, safe space is an important issue in many organizations. How have you seen the important of safe space (or the lack there of) in your organizations?
5. For a leader trying to facilitate adaptive change, what are the primary considerations in establishing safe space in one’s organization?
6. For a follower or lower level leader, how can one facilitate safe space for others in an organization that doesn’t value safe space overall?

Participants

• Gregory L. Clarke, Eastern University

• Joshua Broward, Duneland Community Church

• Connie D. Allison, Liberty University