Becoming an Adaptive Organization: U.S. Government Perspectives

On Tuesday, June 7, 2022, MSI, a Tetra Tech company brought together four U.S. Government department and agency leaders to share their organization’s experience, approaches, stories and lessons learned on adaptive management.

While there is no commonly accepted definition of adaptive management, it typically involves an iterative process using new information from organizational learning and knowledge of changing contexts to drive implementation decisions. Adaptive organizations can be nimbler and more effective in their operations, leading to improved outcomes.

Increasingly, government agencies are adopting adaptive management approaches and techniques. For agencies working in the international sphere, being adaptive is particularly important in environments characterized by uncertainty and change.

Panelists include:

• Matthew D. Steinhelfer | Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, U.S. Department of State
• Kyeh Kim | Principal Deputy Vice President, Department of Compact Operations, Millennium Challenge Corporation
• Heather Risley | Senior Learning Advisor, Office of Learning, Evaluation, and Research, Bureau for Policy, Planning, and Learning, U.S. Agency for International Development
• Moderated by: John Haecker | Practice Area Lead, Leadership and Organizational Development, MSI, a Tetra Tech company
• Opening Remarks: Michelle Adams-Matson | Practice Area Lead, Strategy, Evaluation and Analysis, MSI, a Tetra Tech company

Note: These are the panelists’ personal views and not necessarily the views of the Department of Defense, the Department of State, the Millennium Challenge Corporation, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. Government, or its components. Panelists’ participation does not constitute an endorsement of MSI, A Tetra Tech Company, its affiliates, or any non-Federal entity.