A521.9.3.RB - A Different Kind of Leader

James MacGregor Burns (1978) was the first to introduce the idea of transformational leadership.  Transformational leadership is “a leadership approach that causes change in individuals and social systems” (Creative Commons, n.d.). The main idea is to produce positive change in followers so they develop into leaders. Maimon (2018) said that “Transformative leaders are more collaborative, open, communicative, and power-sharing.”  Additionally, “Transformative leadership is more focused on relationships, open to multiple interpretations, adaptable to new situations, and more flexible in adjusting to new environments. The transformative leader is readier to multitask and capable of paying attention both to goals and to the process for achieving them” (Maimon, 2018).  Transformative leaders interact and connect with those they lead to work towards a common goal.

Denning (2011) suggested that interactive leaders have the following dimensions:
  • They work with the world rather than against it.
  • They add and subtract elements from the leadership pallette.
  • They build on personal integrity and authenticity.
  • They don’t depend on the possession of hierarchical authority.
  • They benefits from an understanding of the different narrative patterns that can be used to get things done in the world.
  • Interactive leadership entails active participation in the world rather than detached observation.

Interactive leaders work with the world rather than against it.  Denning (2011) said that “Employing the interactive mode of leadership means engaging the world with a mind-set of active participation rather than detached observation” (p. 271). Traditional leadership involves commanding, controlling, and directing the activities of subordinates. That is not my style. I prefer to work with the people that I lead.  I try to embody the philosophy of leadership from within.  In my leadership activities I try to make the people I lead see me as a peer.  I try to be someone they want to follow because of who I am, not because of an assigned authority.  I believe that authenticity is key; projecting my real self. I am willing to admit when others have more knowledge about a subject than I do, and I defer to their expertise.  That is how I work with, rather than against the world.

Interactive leaders build on personal integrity and authenticity.  “True leaders do not lead because they are expecting something in return.  They lead because they have something to give. . . . They give with a spirit of generosity.  They are relatively free of ego” (Denning, 2011. P. 281). As I mentioned previously I value authenticity.  I want people to be inclined to follow my lead because of who I am, not because they have been told to. I want to be authentic.  I do not find this very difficult. I try to be the same person regardless of the situation; whether at work, at home, or at church, I try to act the same way, use the same language, and portray the same image.  I know this has an impact on the way that people act around me. It is very common for my coworkers to apologize when they use profanity around me. I have never asked them not to, but they have seen from the way that I interact with them that I do not use foul language.  

Interactive leaders benefit from an understanding of the different narrative patterns that can be used to get things done.  I regularly use stories in my leadership communication. Whether addressing an individual or a large group I use stories to grab people’s attention and create an emotional connection.  In just the past two weeks I have used a springboard story to achieve buy-in on a new way of accomplishing an important task, a burning platform story with a man who was struggling to see why he needed to change, and a future story while talking with someone about difficulties they were experiencing.  

The use of narrative is “a thread running through everything that a transformational leader does to achieve extraordinary results” (Denning, 2011, p. 293).  As I continue to develop my ability to use narrative in my leadership activities I will be able to have greater influence on those I lead, and therefore be a better transformational leader.


References

Creative Commons. (n.d.). Transformational leadership. Retrieved from https://www.langston.edu/sites/default/files/basic-content-files/TransformationalLeadership.pdf

Denning, S. (2011). The leader’s guide to storytelling: Mastering the art and discipline of business narrative. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Burns, J.M. (1978). Leadership. N.Y, Harper and Row.

Maimon, E.P. (2018). A Checklist for Transformative Leaders. Retrieved from https://www.chronicle.com/article/A-Checklist-for-Transformative/242167           

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