Transformative leadership is closely linked to transformative learning, which includes the following elements:
- Establishing Context
- Questioning Prevalent Mental Models
- Adopting a New Conceptual Framework
- Developing Relevant Capabilities
- Participating in a Learning Community
Establishing Context:
We begin by examining the context of the historical period in which we are living, which is characterized by the twin processes of disintegration and integration and in which mankind is gradually progressing toward greater maturity and
We also distinguish between having a formal position as a leader and exercising leadership, emphasizing that everyone can exercise leadership. Since leadership is exercised in a group, we identify three primary group functions:
Fulfilling the purpose or goals of the group, team, or organization- Strengthening unity among the members of the group, because “no power can exist except through unity”
- Developing the capabilities of the members of the team, or organization, through training and accompaniment, so that an increasing number of members can carry out ever more complex activities, empowering the organization as a whole.
All those who contribute to any one of these group functions is exercising leadership because they are contributing to the progress and effectiveness of the group.
Questioning Prevalent Mental Models:
If we have a cup that is full of water and we try to pour coffee into it, not much coffee will stay in the cup. If we want a good cup of coffee, first we must empty the cup, then pour in the coffee.
When people have long-standing ideas about something, we need to help them question those ideas before presenting them with new ones if we want
Adopting a New Conceptual Framework
The conceptual framework of transformative leadership incorporates six elements that serve as a foundation for the application of the capabilities. These are:
- Service-oriented leadership
- The purpose of leadership: personal and social
- The moral responsibility to investigate and apply truth
- A conviction of the essential nobility of human beings
- Transcendence
- The development of capabilities
Developing Relevant Capabilities
It is not enough to familiarize ourselves with the conceptual framework of transformative leadership. We need to develop the capabilities to apply it. We have grouped these capabilities into three categories:
- Capabilities that contribute to personal transformation: self-discipline, self-evaluation, rectitude of conduct, systemic thinking, learning from reflection on action, initiative and perseverance.
- Capabilities that enhance human relations: imbuing thought and actions with love, giving encouragement, using consultation in decisión-making, and constructing unity in diversity.
- Capabilities that contribute to social transformation: transforming dominating relationships, contributing to the establishment of justice, empowering education, formulating a shared, principle-based vision, understanding historical perspective and transforming institutions.
- Integrating the capabilities through Transformative L
eadership in the family.
Participating in a Learning Community
Transformative leadership has amply demonstrated its power to transform the lives of those who integrate the conceptual framework and capabilities into their way of thinking and acting. However, simply reading the book Transformative Leadership is not enough to automatically ensure this transformation. Interacting with the concepts, striving to develop the capabilities, and, most importantly, participating on an ongoing basis with others who are on the same path are vital.
When Transformative Leadership has been used as content in long-term projects, a learning community has been generated by forming creative learning groups among the participants. These meet weekly to participate in application exercises and also plan and replicate the workshops they have received.
In online courses, forums in which the participants post their answers to questions and comment on the responses of others help achieve this purpose.
More recently, as a greater number of individuals or small organizations have become interested in the contents, they have experimented with forming a learning community through meeting online with other participants, at times with the accompaniment of an experienced tutor.
Other have formed a community by sharing their learning with colleagues in the teams or departments in which they work, using the complementary workbook as a guide. This leads to ongoing consultation in the group related to one or another of the elements or capabilities of Transformative Leadership.
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