There is disclosed a system for positioning a connecting element adjacent one or more bones or bony portions, such as the spinal column, through a minimally invasive surgical approach. The system generally includes at least one bone anchor engageable to the one or more bones or bony portions and at least one anchor extender removably engaged to the bone anchor. A connecting element is movable along a longitudinal axis of the anchor extender. In response to movement of the connecting element along the longitudinal axis toward the bone anchor, the anchor extender flexes, bends or otherwise reconfigures to allow a leading end of the connecting element to be rotated away from the longitudinal axis so that the connecting element can be positioned in a transverse orientation to the longitudinal axis along the one or more bones or bony portions at a location adjacent the bone anchor.