The Adaptive Challenge of Hillary Clinton; Using The Human Resource Frame 1
The Adaptive Challenge of Hillary Clinton; Using the Human Resource Frame
Gail D. Moskowitz
Virginia Commonwealth University

The Adaptive Challenge of Hillary Clinton; Using The Human Resource Frame 2
Understanding leadership is a multi-faceted endeavor. A good approach to exploring each aspect is to choose one leader and examine their career and performance through different theoretical perspectives of leadership. Two good lenses for this exploration would the scholarly work of Drath (2001) and Bolman and Deal (2008). The leader whose life will be the focus is
Hillary Rodham Clinton. Drath (2001) writes that setting direction, garnering commitment and facing adaptive challenge is the identifiable work of leadership. He states that setting direction helps focus the organizational goals and garnering commitment is needed to ensure everyone will work together. Facing an adaptive challenge is perhaps the most difficult of these leadership tasks. An adaptive challenge is present when an institution or a group, and thus a leader, must solve a unique problem without available or institutionalized resources. Bolman and Deal (2008) articulate other aspects of leadership. They believe that leaders have an organizational frame from which they operate that is seamless and instinctual. They also believe that good leaders
“break” that frame in order to respond comprehensively to all the needs of an organization (p.
12). These frames, while not simple, are fairly understandable just by name. The four frames are: structural, human resource, political, and symbolic. The human resource frame can be said to be relational, supportive, and familial and focused on a synthesis of the needs of humans as resources as well as the organization. This paper will focus on how Hillary Rodham Clinton faced the adaptive challenge of moving from her role as First Lady to establishing her own political career. Burrell (2000) tells us that no other First Lady ever ran for public office. It will then show how while Secretary Clinton is clearly a politician there is a strong argument to be made that she operated often and strongly from a human resource frame.

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Mrs. Clinton: The First Lady
Hillary Rodham Clinton entered the White House as First Lady in 1993. Burrell (2000) writes that while First Ladies had been their husband’s confidants and some took active roles addressing issues close to their hearts, no other first lady had a policy making position. During the first year she was tapped by her husband to chair The Health Care Reform Task Force. Mrs.
Clinton in Living History (2003) devotes many pages to this endeavor. She explains that from before the Task Force was formed to when they had to give up the fight, public opinion and congressional opposition was a roller coaster and often brutal. Burrell’s (2000) data shows us that Mrs. Clinton’s approval ratings declined in the wake of this failure. The ebb was second only to her link to the Whitewater scandal that plagued the White House early in the Clintons’ tenure and intermittently throughout. None the less it appears that despite these periods of public scorn Mrs. Clinton continued to work on behalf of humanity.
In Living History Mrs. Clinton (2003) gives us a glimpse into the policy making work done by her own overworked staff that dovetailed with President Clinton’s agenda. Her White
House staff was affectionately known as “HILLARYLAND” (p. 2378). The list of Mrs.
Clinton’s accomplishments as First Lady is impressive yet too long to present in this paper. In her book, Living History (2003) Mrs. Clinton highlights many of her undertakings. This author believes Mrs. Clinton’s most significant work was on the Children’s Health Insurance Program which widened the safety net for children’s health coverage, highlighting the plight of women internationally and focusing the administration’s sights on expanding both Head Start and after school programing. These accomplishments were always made by partnering with others.
Whether she worked with Congress, a cabinet Secretary, citizens, or her staff, Mrs. Clinton created coalitions that served to impact substantial policy. The reader can see that as Shambaugh

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(2010) states in her book an important secret of Mrs. Clinton’s leadership, is resilience and steadfast perseverance.
If one is to do a good job of examining the first time challenges Mrs. Clinton faced and transcended as First Lady, it would be impossible not to mention the sexual scandals of her husband and how it lead to his possible impeachment. This paper will not examine why she stood by her husband, President Bill Clinton, just that she did. In Mrs. Clinton’s book (2003) she talks about helping to publically fight the lies and privately deal with her marriage. Again what she was able to model was her ability to solve the problems, learn from the experience and move to her next venture. She did not allow herself to forever define her life by those moments.
The First Lady and the Frame of Human Resource
According to Bolman and Deal (2008) the human resource frame reveals that encouraging the symbiotic nature of individual workers, their leaders and the institutions in which they serve can create outcomes far beyond the sum of each part. As First Lady, Mrs.
Clinton’s most powerful accomplishments prove that this was true. With her staff, as explicated in her autobiographical book Living History (2003), Mrs. Clinton’s leadership style was shown to be collaborative. She chose her staff by selecting the best person for each job and did not micro manage. They were her intellectual peers. She emphasizes repeatedly in Living History
(2003) they she sought the wisdom of her staff. This group wrote policy that may have affected millions of people. Shambaugh (2010) writes that Mrs. Clinton had learned that listening to the views of others increased the odds of them listening to her. It is reported my Shambaugh (2010) that the morale of Mrs. Clinton’s staff was high. Mrs. Clinton (2003) tells us that those who worked in HILLARYLAND (p. 2378) worked long hours voluntarily and proudly.

The Adaptive Challenge of Hillary Clinton; Using The Human Resource Frame 5
Senator Clinton: Not the Wife of Bill
Bernstein (2007) tells the reader that Mrs. Clinton, while still First Lady and still waiting to hear the results of President Clinton’s impeachment hearings, began her transition from the
White House by visiting then retiring N.Y. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan and announcing her candidacy for his seat. Shambaugh (2010) articulates the many-tiered approach this necessitated and how there was no play book to follow. First, Mrs. Clinton sought counsel from those she respected. She had to separate her run from the work of First Lady. She needed to buy property in New York and establish residency. Shambaugh (2010) highlights several important points that speak to her leadership as she was blazing this new ground. Mrs. Clinton had to be willing to move out of her comfort zone, where she was protected by her status as wife to the president. She also spent seven months traveling, talking but mostly listening to the citizens of
New York. Shambaugh (2010) tells us that what Mrs. Clinton learned from her worst public failure was not to allow her own excitement to keep her from taking the real pulse of the people she wanted to represent. One is again able to see that Mrs. Clinton surmounted this challenge by learning from her past, resilience and perseverance. She won the race and became Senator
Clinton in January of 2001.
Using Human Resource to Run for Senator of New York
Bolman and Deal (2008) discuss important aspects of leadership through a human resource frame. They state organizations are more successful when the individuals who man them have their own needs met. They refer to Maslow’s seminal work “Hierarchy of Needs” where he describes that human beings are motivated first by physiological and safety needs and then ultimately to fit in and feel a sense of mastery and a pride in affiliation (p. 124). Mrs.
Clinton demonstrated these beliefs in surmounting her adaptive challenge with her various

The Adaptive Challenge of Hillary Clinton; Using The Human Resource Frame 6 constituencies; her campaign staff and the New York voters. Mrs. Clinton needed to transition from leading a policy making staff as First Lady to presiding at the helm of a campaign staff.
She also wanted to be a candidate who truly understood the issues. To this end Mrs. Clinton hired and then spoke and listened to the members of her team. Those who helped her in the effort to become a senator could not have done it for the money; they did it for the pride of being on her team. She valued and empowered them. Similarly Shambaugh (2010) tells us Mrs. Clinton embarked on what was called a listening tour where she is reported to have honed her skills at collaboration and inclusion. This tour left those she spoke to believing that they really had a voice and that their concerns were important.
Candidate Clinton: A Different Quest for the White House
Senator Clinton served admirably for two terms. She is reported by Shambaugh (2010) to have been a Senator who worked admirably with both the Democrats and Republicans for the good of the country by “creating networks and making connections” (p.1006). In 2008 she focused her sights on another body of uncharted water and that was to gain the Democratic
Nomination for President of the United States. Few women had made this leap and none had been successful. Senator Clinton was now in her own right no longer seen through the lens of her husband’s success. An enormous obstacle that Mrs. Clinton had to climb over when running for
President appeared to be the mounting free-for-all in the media. While the press had previously been ruthless, her run for President exposed new lows. Senator Clinton was openly attacked and misrepresented due specifically to her gender. This prejudicial media gauntlet put Senator
Clinton in a position of having to explain herself for merely being born female and having the audacity to run for the most powerful office in the world. The research highlights how powerful and openly outrageous the sexist messages were. Senator Clinton was hit straight between the

The Adaptive Challenge of Hillary Clinton; Using The Human Resource Frame 7 eyes. In an article by Uscinski and Goren (2011), the authors highlight some of the misogynistic comments made in the media. One statement made by Mike Barincle of MSNBC was “Hillary looks at Obama like everyone's first wife standing outside a probate court." Even commentators, like Chris Matthews, who is openly liberal, had no compunction in making anti-women comments. Uscinski and Goren (2011) quote Matthews, "The reason she's a U.S. senator, the reason she's a candidate for president, the reason she may be a frontrunner is her husband messed around. We keep forgetting it. She didn't win there on her merit." (p. 885) Other articles highlight the very real influence the media has on women’s political life and Senator Clinton’s in particular. Edwards (2011) tells us that in a book by political scientists Lawrence and Rose they state that, “many hold the opinion that the media response to Clinton was sexist, hostile, and grossly unfair.” Coupled with what Edwards (2011) also concludes; that while women are more represented than ever before in American politics the truth is that the balance is still tremendously uneven in higher office further throwing an barrier in Senator Clinton’s way.
Candidate for President Clinton: A desire to remain in the Human Resource Frame
Senator Clinton having been first lady made a run for the White House with different credentials then any past candidate. While she was not the first woman to run it is essential to view her candidacy at least in part through a gendered lens. She was at times vilified for her gender and yet we also know that many of the issues on which she worked greatly concerned the lives of women and children. She opened many dialogues with the very people whom she believed wanted to be included; to have their ideas heard. Carl Bernstein (2007) stated that
Senator Clinton nurtured, formed coalitions and fostered loyalty through teamwork. Perhaps these are the traits of a woman who has been a mother, a daughter and a wife to a powerful man.
They certainly are the bedrock of the human resource frame. Bolman and Deal (2008 p. 18)

The Adaptive Challenge of Hillary Clinton; Using The Human Resource Frame 8 specifically state that this frame promotes family, the needs of all, the importance of relationships and empowerment.
Secretary Clinton: A Position on the World Stage
While the public loss of the Democratic Nomination must have stung Senator Clinton, she was absolutely gracious and on point when she spoke at the Democratic Convention on behalf of Barack Obama. Shambaugh (2010) credits Secretary Clinton’s authenticity for her resilience in the face of such a public defeat. She stated that Senator Clinton knows who she is from the inside out and can readjust because she has a genuine level of personal comfort. Again we see that Senator Clinton was able to regroup quickly as she moved on to be appointed
Secretary of State when Barack Obama ascended to the Presidency. Secretary Clinton served admirably for four years. It is widely believed that she will throw her hat in the presidential ring again in 2016.
Secretary Clinton: Use of the Human Resource Frame on the World Stage
As stated above Shambaugh (2010) points out Secretary Clinton’s authenticity and personal comfort that enabled her to readjust her own personal aspirations and align herself with the larger goals of the Democratic Party. This is essential in the human resource leadership frame as it holds relationships in high esteem. Then Senator Clinton had to mourn privately but she spoke publicly about the importance of these relationships and being part of the greater team. As she went on to assume the role of Secretary of State she continued her work to build coalitions and to see herself as part of the greater effort.
Conclusion
Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton entered the White house as First Lady of the United
States and transitioned eight years later as a Senator from the great state of New York. In 2008

The Adaptive Challenge of Hillary Clinton; Using The Human Resource Frame 9 she made an impressive but unsuccessful run for President; subsequently she was appointed
Secretary of State. From her first days as First Lady she began to redefine that role. Secretary
Clinton’s road was not paved smoothly nor was it a straight path. She encountered tremendous obstacles that ranged from having to move out of her comfort zone to enduring the crass public commentary at the hands of powerful misogynistic commentators. Secretary Clinton was not deterred. One can see that she viewed the obstacles not as problems but as the work itself.
Secretary Clinton learned from her mistakes, redefined the goals when necessary, continuously sought advice and built coalitions, listened carefully and presented herself genuinely. These are all the traits that Shambaugh (2010) sees as Secretary Clinton’s leadership qualities that allow her to persevere with resilience. They are also traits of a person who leads from a human resource frame. Clearly Secretary Clinton’s work has been in politics and that this may also be a frame from which she leads. However it is evident that she chose associates who had excellent skills, sought their counsel and championed her staff in every phase of her career. She also wanted her constitutes to believe they had a voice and to this end she listened more than she spoke. Mrs. Clinton was a working part of every team on which she played a leadership role.
She was able to keep herself balanced and continue to be a part of the effort for the Democratic
Party which she understood superseded her own individual success. These are all indications of
Mrs. Clinton’s comfort in leadership from a human resource frame. Hillary Rodham Clinton is not easily reduced to a category; however, in surmounting her adaptive challenge of moving from the role of First Lady and establishing her own political career, she literally shifted the course of history. She accomplished this not from an imperious stance but from a well learned conviction that she must join with those she works and those she serves.

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References
Bernstein, C. (2007). A woman in charge: The life of Hillary Rodham Clinton . New York, N.Y.:
Random House, Inc.
Bolman, L.G. and Deal, T.E. Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice and leadership . (4 th ed.)
San Francisco: Josey-Bass, 2008.
Burrell, B. C. (2000). Hillary Rodham Clinton as First Lady: The people’s perspective. The
Social Science Journal, 37(4), 529-546.
Clinton, H.R. (2003). Living history . New York, N.Y.: Simon & Schuster. Kindle edition.
Drath, W. (2001). The deep blue sea: Rethinking the source of leadership . San Francisco, CA:
Jossey-Bass.
Edwards, J.L. (2011). The 2008 gendered campaign and the problem with "Hillary studies”.
Rhetoric & Public Affairs , 14(1), 155-167.
Shambaugh, R. (2010). Leadership secrets of Hillary Clinton.
New York, N.Y. McGraw-Hill.
Kindle edition.
Uscinski, J. & Goren, L.J. (2011). What's in a name? Coverage of Senator Hillary Clinton during
the 2008 democratic primary. Political Research Quarterly , 64 (4), 884-896.

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Name Moskowitz Date
Target
Acquiring Developing 20 points
Organization
Critical
Thinking
Reader
Engagement
Style
Grammar*,
Punctuation, and Spelling*
Crystal clear focus that does not stray; all paragraphs fully developed; strong intro and satisfying conclusion; reader is skillfully guided through
(3 points)
2.75
Clear, strong, logical points supported with rich and relevant details; supporting sources credible, timely, and appropriate
(3 points)
2.75 one section limited analysis
Writer speaks to the reader in a way that is original, and engaging; format enhances understanding; nuances within content are expertly delineated based on reader’s level of understanding; reader’s questions anticipated and answered —writer’s position compellingly convinces
(4 points)
Reads smoothly; wellcrafted variety in sentence structure; transitions seamlessly propel the reader; precise, rich, nuanced vocabulary
(4 points)
No major or minor errors
(3 points)
2.5
Clear focus with minor digression(s); most paragraphs well-developed; logical intro and conclusion; reader can see where writer is headed
(2.5 points)
Appropriate logical points developed using quality details with minor gaps; supporting sources credible, timely, and appropriate with minor gaps
(2.5 points)
Writer engages the reader with text that is earnest and pleasing but not fully compelling; format/presentation is solid; brief/inconsistent mastery of nuances within the content; reader’s questions are addressed but may lack some depth or consistency —writer’s position convinces
(3.25 points)
Reads well with minor stumbles; evident variety in sentence structure; transitions function well with minor inconsistencies; appropriate vocabulary with some sparkling word choice
(3.25 points)
Reads chunky at times due to lack of transitions and summary of section main idea
3
No major errors; one or two minor errors that do not distract
(2 points)
Focus has several digressions; some paragraphs incompletely developed or contain off-point info; intro and/or conclusion brief/cursory; reader experiences gaps/confusion but still sees main idea
(2 points)
Some points unclear or weak with irrelevant or unconvincing details; supporting sources weak
(2 points)
Writer is sincere but inconsistencies neglect to fully engage reader; format/presentation inconsistently appropriate for reader; mastery of broad strokes but nuanced meaning missing or incomplete; reader’s questions are not satisfyingly answered —writer’s position weak and minimally convincing
(2.5 points)
Reads with occasional stumbles; sentence structure depends on a few repeated patterns; some transitions awkward or missing; accurate but plain and unimaginative vocabulary
(2.5 points)
Entry
Lack of singular focus; most paragraphs have little/no focus; intro and/or conclusion, disconnected, or missing; reader must make inferences based on inadequate details
(0
– 1 point)
Many/most points lack quantity/quality details; supporting sources irrelevant or inappropriate
(0 – 1 point)
Writer presents ideas with a flatness or monotone that fails to engage reader; format/presentation has little/no relevance for reader; basic, oversimplistic understanding of content; reader is left to sort it out himself —writer’s position fails to convince
(0 – 2 points)
Reads haltingly; limited variety in sentence structure; poor/no use of transitions resulting in fuzzy connections between ideas; bland vocabulary that is not always precise or accurate
(0 – 2 points)
Repeated one major or several minor errors that distract
(0 – 1 point)
APA Format Impeccable use of APA conventions
(3 points)
Some minor errors in use of
APA conventions; e.g. punctuation or indentation
(2 points)
Errors or inconsistencies in the use of APA; e.g. missing or erroneous information or formatting
(0 – 1 point)
*Major errors: fragments, run-ons or improperly fused sentences; subject-verb agreement; Minor errors: Pronoun errors, lack of parallelism, spelling, general punctuation
Plagiarism, intentional or not, will result in an automatic zero on the assignment.
Examples: No citation for any material that should be cited; paraphrasing that contains copied key words, phrases, or structure from the original source which should be quoted; or any other type of intellectual dishonesty that uses others’ word or ideas without appropriate acknowledgement.

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Comments:
Gail
A very solid paper. It was a pleasure to read. Strong performance in all the areas except for Style, and the point loss there is for transitional elements. Because this paper has so many different ideas, the lack of transitions makes it a choppy read. However, the other stylistic elements were strong. Master the successful transition between sections, and you’ll score well in that category every time.
You have an especially well-done intro and conclusion. Your reader knows exactly what you are going to do after reading the intro, and the reader knows exactly what you’ve analyzed at the end.
Spoken in a British accent: By jove, I think she’s got it!
Score: 18
Evaluator(s) Arkin

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The Adaptive Challenge of Hillary Clinton; Using The Human Resource Frame 14