From Emergence to Adaptation: Choosing and Evaluating Strategic Approaches
In a previous article, we explored the distinctions between emergent and adaptive strategy, two approaches that help organizations initiate as well as navigate complexity and change. Emergent strategy arises organically from actions, decisions, and patterns of behavior and decision-making, while adaptive strategy is a deliberate yet flexible approach that evolves through learning and responsiveness. This follow-up offers practical guidance on when and how to use each, how to evaluate their effectiveness, and introduces a new model that integrates both approaches into a Sequential Strategy Framework.
When to Use Emergent or Adaptive Approaches
Emergent strategy is most useful when your environment is unpredictable or rapidly changing, innovation is happening at the grassroots level, or there is no clear path forward so experimentation is needed. For example, a community-based nonprofit in the energy sector notices that residents are repurposing solar panels for water purification; this unexpected use leads to a new program focused on solar-powered clean water systems (i.e., an emergent strategy shaped by local behavior).
Adaptive strategy is best applied when there is a guiding vision or goal, but flexibility is required, or your organization operates in a complex system with many variables. Remember, continuous learning and iteration are built into the process. An example would be if a regional utility launches a decarbonization roadmap, then as new technologies and regulations emerge, the utility adjusts its implementation strategy to remain aligned with its long-term goals.
When deciding which approach is the best strategic fit for your work, ask yourself:
Do we have a clear vision, or are we still discovering it?
Is change happening from the top-down or bottom-up?
Do we need to respond to complexity or capitalize on organic growth?
Choosing between emergent and adaptive strategies is not a simple either/or binary decision. Instead, it’s about understanding the context, recognizing the nature of change, and designing processes that support learning and responsiveness. In practice, many organizations use both. Emergent strategy may reveal new opportunities while adaptive strategy helps refine and scale them.
Evaluating Strategy in Practice
Evaluating emergent strategy requires a retrospective lens. Rather than assessing performance against predefined goals, the focus is on understanding how decisions and actions evolved over time. This involves identifying patterns, surfacing unintended consequences, and interpreting the strategic direction that emerged organically. Qualitative data and narrative insights are especially valuable in this context, as they help reveal the underlying dynamics that shaped the strategy.
In contrast, adaptive strategy is evaluated through ongoing monitoring and reflection. Key indicators include the presence and effectiveness of learning/feedback loops, the timing and rationale behind strategic pivots, and the organization’s responsiveness to changing conditions. Mixed methods that combine quantitative metrics with qualitative feedback are often used to assess whether the strategy remains relevant and aligned with its intended purpose. This approach supports continuous learning and adjustment, which are central to adaptive strategy. As Henry Mintzberg, a lead proponent of adaptive strategy, observed, “Strategy is a pattern in a stream of decisions.” This framing encourages evaluators to look beyond formal plans and focus on what actually unfolds over time.
Introducing the Sequential Strategy Framework
So, how do you choose between emergent and adaptive strategy? In reality, organizations rarely rely on a single strategic mode. Instead, they often move between emergent and adaptive approaches. Recognizing this, we propose the Sequential Strategy Framework, which integrates both models into a phased process:
Discovery Phase (Emergent) - Begin by observing, experimenting, and identifying patterns. Let strategy arise from real-world interactions and insights.
Design Phase (Adaptive) - Use what has emerged to shape a flexible strategy. Develop a framework that allows for iteration and responsiveness.
Alignment Phase - Ensure coherence between emergent insights and adaptive goals. Refine the strategy to reflect both grassroots innovation and organizational priorities.
Implementation and Learning - Execute the strategy with built-in mechanisms for feedback, reflection, and course correction.
The Sequential Strategy Framework offers a way to move from discovery to design, aligning innovation with intentionality. This combined model draws inspiration from adrienne maree brown’s insight: “Emergent strategy is a way that all of us can begin to see the world in life-code—awakening us to the sacred systems of life all around us.” By sequencing emergence and adaptation, organizations can honor complexity while maintaining their strategic direction.
Whether your strategy emerges from the field, adapts through intentional learning, or both, the key is staying open, curious, and responsive. In a sector as dynamic as energy, the ability to evolve may be your greatest strategic asset.
Ready to explore how these strategies could work for your organization? Book a discovery call with our team today—just email admin@encolorconsulting.com.