Overview

In a rapidly changing and increasingly complex world, many leaders are working harder than ever, applying their expertise, making decisions and driving execution yet their organisations continue to struggle to keep pace with constant change. This tension is not a reflection of leadership failure, but rather an indication that the nature of leadership itself has evolved. Traditional leadership approaches, grounded in technical leadership, rely on existing knowledge, systems and authority to solve clearly defined problems. While effective in stable environments, these approaches are often insufficient in the face of uncertainty, competing priorities and shifting expectations. 

Today’s complex challenges require adaptive leadership that mobilises people to address issues where solutions are not immediately clear and cannot be resolved through authority or expertise alone. Adaptive leadership calls for changes in behaviour, mindset and organisational culture to enable organisations to respond more effectively to ongoing change. 

Join Liezel van Arkel on 05 March 2026 from 10h00 to 12h00 as she explores the principles of adaptive leadership, using practical frameworks, real-world examples and observable leadership behaviours to demonstrate how leaders can respond more effectively in a rapidly changing world. 

Learning Objectives

By attending this seminar, participants will be able to:

• Understand the nature of adaptive challenges in a rapidly changing organisational environment 

• Differentiate between technical leadership responses and adaptive leadership practice 

• Strengthen leadership judgement in conditions of uncertainty, ambiguity, and change fatigue 

• Recognise practical leadership behaviours that support learning, adaptability, and sustained performance  

Content Outline

• Leading in a Rapidly Changing World  

  • The defining characteristics of today’s organisational environment: volatility, complexity, and acceleration 

  • Why many contemporary leadership challenges cannot be solved through expertise or authority alone 

  • The leadership implications of ongoing disruption, digital transformation, and changing workforce dynamics 

• What Adaptive Leadership Really Is (and Is Not) 

  • Understanding adaptive versus technical challenges and why the distinction matters 

  • Adaptive leadership as a practice: mobilising learning rather than providing answers 

  • Common leadership traps in times of rapid change (over-control, false certainty, change overload) 

• Core Adaptive Leadership Capabilities 

  • Sense-making and judgement in ambiguous contexts 

  • Regulating pace, pressure, and attention during sustained change 

  • Holding tension, loss, and uncertainty without disengaging people 

  • Enabling experimentation, feedback, and learning at team and organisational level 

• The Systemic Context: How Leaders Enable Adaptive Capacity 

  • The relationship between leadership behaviour, organisational design, and adaptability 

  • How decision-making, communication flows, and role clarity support or undermine adaptive leadership 

  • The role of HR and OD as enablers of adaptive leadership capability (without taking ownership away from leaders) 

About the Presenter

Liezel van Arkel

Liezel completed an undergraduate degree in law at the University of Pretoria in 1995, and an MBA through Edinburgh Business School (Cum Laude) in 2010. She founded and ran her own retail business for 11 years. After selling that business in 2011, Liezel started a new career with WorldsView Academy.

Initially leading the consulting division, she became a shareholder and served as CEO from 2016-2025. Now in a senior partner role, Liezel brings a broad and practical understanding of entrepreneurialism, intrepreneurialism, and contemporary business issues to her work.

Liezel’s passion for everything Organisation Development is evident in her work, and she believes her strongest talent lies in working with groups, especially team and leadership development. She has worked on many consulting and development projects in many different industries including financial institutions, hospitality, FMCG and Higher Education.

Areas of interest include Organisational Culture, the Enneagram, Business Acumen, Business Partnering, Management, Leadership and Team Development.

Who Should Attend?

The following persons will benefit from attending this webinar:

• HR practitioners
• Line managers and supervisors
• Consultants and facilitators
• Recent graduates entering the OD or HR field
• Individuals seeking to build change-leadership capability

Price

• R 450.00 - Online admission - Individual.
  • Group Price 1 - From R337 per person (up to 5 users)
  • Group Price 2 - From R260 per person (up to 10 users)
  • Group Price 3 - From R224 per person (over 11 users)

Steps to Register for the Event:

• If you already have a profile, login and register for the webinar.
• If you don’t have a profile, create a free profile then login and register for the webinar.
• Click here to create a free profile (There is no charge to create a profile).

Additional Material

By attending this webinar you will be provided with:

• A summarised slide presentation.
• Reference documents and / or course material where available.
• You can ask questions during the webinar and you will also have access to the presenter after the webinar

Corporate Training Solutions

At the Academy for Organisational Change (AOC), we recognise the evolving needs of businesses in today's dynamic environment. We provide tailored corporate training solutions designed to empower your team with the latest in Organisational Development and Change. Whether you're looking for online sessions or structured virtual learning, our programs are crafted to ensure a comprehensive and engaging learning experience.

Drawing inspiration from modern training methodologies, our corporate solutions are interactive, adaptable, and focused on real-world applications. We bridge theory and practice with intentional design, equipping students with tools, frameworks, and competencies they can apply immediately in organisational settings.

Interested in a bespoke corporate training experience? Reach out to us at leonard@organisationalchange.co.za or call 010 880 3980. Together, let's design a training program that elevates your team's capabilities and aligns with your organisational goals.

Contact Us

Have any questions or need any assistance? Contact us today!

• Phone: 010 880 3980
• E-mail: registrar@organisationalchange.co.za