7 Principles of Transformational Leadership
7 Principles of Transformational Leadership
“Managers are people who do things right, while leaders are people who do the right thing (transform others).” Warren Bennis, On Becoming a Leader
Around the world people are being killed because they love Jesus. Families need rebuilding. Jobs are scarce. The cost of living is increasing. Racial hatred is at an all time high. High school students are using guns. The health care system is in need of an overhaul. Children do not have a level playing field for every intellectual, social and emotional development.
We are flooded with evidence of the need for societal transformation everywhere we look. Charles Handy, in his book, The Age of Paradox, says that life cycle curves are peaking out everywhere, so that our time is characterized by the ending of a very successful period in our history. He says that this difficult period is marked by fear, confusion and faltering new steps as we begin new life curves. The late Peter Drucker, in The Age of Transformation, says that this age is far from over and predicts it will reach well into the next century.
This is a time which calls for a critical mass of transformational leaders who will commit to creating a synergy of energy within their circle of influence so new level of social, economic, organizational and spiritual success can be reached. We have not, however, developed the leaders we need for this noble task. To reach such heights, we will need to un-tap the leadership potential of skillful leaders who are successfully directing various organizations and systems. Some of these men and women, knowledgeable and committed to their profession, will be the transformational leaders we need to create the needed synergy of energy.
This new paradigm of transformational leadership is not just for the marketplace but also for the local and global movement of Christ. One of the most influential movements for the advancement of the church is the Purpose-Driven model developed by Rick Warren, Senior Pastor of Saddleback Church. Leaders of Purpose-Driven churches not only are called to authentically model the five Biblical purposes mandated by Jesus in the Great Commandment and Great Commission, they depend on the seven principles of transformational leadership to create a synergy of energy within their flock.
1. Principle of Simplification – Successful leadership begins with a vision, which reflects the shared purpose. The ability to articulate a clear, practical, transformational vision which answers the question, “Where are we headed?” Stories teach this idea – the stonecutters’ tale: The first stonecutter says, “I’m cutting stone,” the second says, “I’m carving a cornerstone,” but the third says, “I’m building a concert hall.” The third has vision. Where do seminary students see themselves – impacting their local church, their community, the nation, or the world? For any team, discussing goals, objectives and vision unifies the members.
Self-Assessment: Are you able to articulate a clear, practical, and transformational vision?
2. Principle of Motivation – The ability to gain the agreement and commitment of other people to the vision. Once the transformational leader is able to bring synergy to the organization, he must then use various means to energize (motivate) the staff. A common way to motivate others is to challenge them, provide ample opportunity to join the creative process, and give them the credit.
Self-Assessment: Are you highly effective at gaining the agreement and commitment of other people?
3. Principle of Facilitation – The ability to effectively facilitate the learning of individuals, teams, and other reliable and reputable resources. Peter Senge in The Fifth Discipline says the primary job of leadership now is to facilitate the learnings of others. The inborn quest of humans (staff) to learn more and more becomes the leaders greatest asset to address organizational challenges. Transformational leaders have been given a sacred trust of being stewards of their staff’s intellectual capital.
Self-Assessment: Do you have the ability to effectively facilitate the learning of individuals, teams, and other reliable and reputable resources?
4. Principle of Innovation: The ability to boldly initiate prayerful change when needed. An effective and efficient organization requires members to anticipate change and not fear it. Leaders must initiate and respond quickly to change. Team members successfully influence one another to assimilate change because the transformational leaders have built trust and fostered teamwork.
Self-Assessment: Do you have the ability to boldly initiate prayerful change to fulfill the vision?
5. Principle of Mobilization – The ability to enlist, equip and empower others to fulfill the vision. Transformational leaders look for willing participants who have already been given formal leadership responsibilities and also among people who have not. They desire leadership at all levels, so they find ways to invite and ignite leadership all levels. They introduce simple baby steps to enlist larger participants.
Self-Assessment: Do you have the ability to enlist, equip and empower others to fulfill the vision?
6. Principle of Preparation – The ability to never stop learning about themselves with and without the help of others. Rick Warren says, “Leaders are learners.” Transformational leaders realize that the transformation they pursue in is a reflection of their own spiritual quest–that they must serve the world through their giftedness because that is the only way they truly fulfill their life mission. With this mindset, moments of being stuck become moments of total dependence on God. This is such a rigorous path of learning that transformational leaders must be in thriving relationships with others pursuing transformation. It is within these vital relationships that life opportunities and obstacles get saturated in love and support.
Self-Assessment: Do you have the ability to never stop learning about themselves with and without the help of others?
7. Principle of Determination – The ability to finish the race. A leader’s missions are sometime difficult and their journey often lonely. Leaders depend on their stamina, endurance, courage and strength to finish each day. Because their focus is not only on raising their own leadership but the development of others, the most rigorous and humbling of all human endeavors, transformational leaders experience times of self doubt, grief and fatigue. Transformational leaders have to develop spiritual, emotional, and physical disciplines to sustain their high level of commitment to their cause.
Self-Assessment: Are you one that has ability to finish the race?
Transformational leaders, then, are awareness raisers who see strategic initiatives to be fulfilled, problems that align with their own spiritual life mission. As they make leadership commitments to those strategic initiatives, they make commitments to their own emergence. As the leaders transform, the world is transformed.
On a large scale, those who are already transformational leaders must now invite their high potential players to come forward to lead areas within their organization. As potential transformational leaders come forward, they need to be challenged. Beyond the challenge, they need the control to figure it out and be given the needed credit when the challenge is met. In addition, these potential leaders need a learning environment that offers a network with other transformational leaders. Leadership development experiences must be prepared that connect the strengths of the team to the overall strategy of the organization with a support system founded on encouragement, accountability and recognition.
As these men and women succeed in their transformations over the next decade, millions of people, learning and achieving with them, will rise to a new level of leadership characterized by an unshakeable faith to transform the lives of others by creating a synergy of energy within their circle of influence.
Cheering for you!
Erik
What you’re talking about is completely truthful. I know that every person may not guess the same, but I just think that you submit it in a way that everyone can understand.
You are so amazingwith this point.