When leaders treat adaptive challenges like technical ones, three things tend to happen:Over-functioning: The leader becomes the fixer, absorbing complexity, decision-making and ownership. In the same way, adaptive leadership starts with diagnosis — not with vision, charisma or decisive action. Therefore, the adaptive leader's first responsibility is to step back and ask: What kind of challenge am I facing? Before charging ahead with a solution, ask: Is this a technical problem, an adaptive challenge or a mix of both? Once you start distinguishing between technical and adaptive challenges, you'll never look at your to-do list the same way again.