Adaptive Leadership Program
Every leader at the U-M Medical School today is having to navigate new challenges and changes. The ability to adapt, inspire, and mobilize others while staying steady in action is key to moving an initiative forward.
The Office of Faculty Development has designed a five-month immersive leadership development program built on the Adaptive Leadership framework originating from Harvard Center for Leadership.
Program Overview
This program provides U-M leaders with a unique set of frameworks, skills and tools to fortify the adaptive capacity to drive change and address future challenges more effectively.
This program is a next level leadership program, building on the Leadership Academy (although it is not a prerequisite). The Adaptive Leadership Program is highly action and application focused. You will be asked to identify a real-world adaptive challenge/change initiative you are engaged in or want to initiate and will apply the frameworks and tools throughout the program to support you moving your change initiative forward.
This is more than just leadership training – it’s an opportunity to elevate your influence, amplify your impact, and shape the future of your organization.
This course will challenge your notions of leadership and push your skills to the next level. You will have the opportunity to engage with leaders from across the university which will provide you with new perspectives. The course facilitators are fantastic and supportive!
How to Apply
Applications for Fall 2026 are due by June 26, 2026.
Accepted participants for Fall 2026 will be informed of their status the week of July 6, 2026.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Allison Romanowski at [email protected].
Important Program Dates
We ask that all applicants hold the following in-person training dates on their calendars (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.):
Session I - October 5-6, 2026
Session II - November 18, 2026
Session III - February 3, 2027
If you are a mid- or upper-level leader with complex problems to solve in complex systems, the Adaptive Leadership program is definitely for you. This is a program that requires your full engagement and commitment, but if you enjoy a challenge and are seeking big growth in your leadership skills, this program really packs a punch. No matter what you think you know about the logistics of leading, the best thing you'll learn about is yourself as the leader.
Objectives
- Tackle Tough Challenges: Learn to diagnose problems, challenge the status quo, and drive meaningful change.
- Understand the System You Operate In: Learn a methodical way to identify and enroll critical stakeholders
- Design Micro Experiments & Interventions: Identify actions to test ideas and organization receptivity to change
- Lead with Agility: Build resilience and the ability to pivot in the face of uncertainty.
- Engage & Inspire Teams: Foster collaboration, navigate resistance and lead with empathy.
- Make Strategic High-Impact Decisions: Strengthen your ability to think critically and act strategically.
- Gain Greater Self-Awareness: Understand how you move things forward, and how you get in your own way
The Adaptive Leadership program has truly been transformative for me. It has provided me with the tools and insights to understand and leverage my strengths, allowing me to adapt to different situations and lead more effectively. Through this program, I have been able to reshape my leadership approach and realign my strengths in a way that has had a profound impact on my abilities as a leader.
