“The first distinction provides a framework for developing leadership strategy given one’s place in a situation, with or without authority. The second points to the differences between expert and learning challenges, and the different modes of operating that each requires.� (pp 56) How authority can be defined as either ‘formal or informal’ with five needs that are expected to be fulfilled by the authority being; “direction, protection, orientation, conflict control and norm maintenance�. (pp 57) I found the five needs particularly interesting and when reflecting specifically when I had worked as a Claims Adjuster. It is amazing what you take for granted, especially when you work in an industry where your ‘clients/claimants’ are constantly changing. For the Adjuster the routine does not change; another person in a car accident with ‘your insured’. Although for the claimant or the insured it is not every day that they get into a car accident. So, what you’re doing is what I like to call ‘reinventing the wheel’ everyday for every person. That being said I found how the ‘direction, protection, orientation, conflict control and norm maintenance’ came into play almost in a systematic way. You were the leader of the situation, they came to you for guidance and direction, to reassure both that everything was going to work out. Of course not always that smoothly ‘conflict control’ was something you dealt with almost everyday in working toward a resolve.
I also feel that this type of position is in essence microcosm of what the authors have defined as technical and adaptive work. The authors used as an example the scene of an emergency room and the leader being the physician. I my situation the Adjuster is the leader and the technical aspect of the job is the day to day processes that are needed to ‘work’ the claim. The adaptive aspects are the claimants, how you as the leader respond to them and the nature of their injury and/or the damage to their property. You had to approach each person differently depending on the gravity of the claim whether it was a fatality or simply a scratch on their vehicle. I was wondering what other industries have these similar parallels? Does anyone have any thoughts?

Irene PS Sorry this posting so late, I’ve been sick.