Managing Pandemic Threats—The Need for Adaptive Leadership

The threat of the H5N1-influenza virus prompts reflection on COVID-19 pandemic experiences. This paper integrates insights from a first responder using the Cynefin framework to advocate for an adaptive strategic approach to future pandemics. Balancing individual freedoms with containment measures serves to leverage the human capital needed for rapid learning and resource distribution. The Cynefin framework aids in understanding complex problem-solving dynamics which involve varying degrees of order and chaos. Hierarchies in the ordered world support heterarchies which explore the unordered world. Both operate within scale free human systems which must adapt to existential challenges such as pandemics. Experience leading to knowledge and understanding occurs simultaneously at all dimensions of human existence. Ultimately, adaptive leadership and decentralized decision-making, supported by the best available knowledge, enable effective pandemic management and restoration of normal societal functions.