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Leadership is one of the most misused words and misunderstood in our current times. We think of it in terms of titles/positions, privileges, opportunities and advantages over others. For those who don't have the opportunity to occupy a position or bear a title, they find it hard to see themselves as leaders. We describe a leader as one who is more fearless, clearer, more unlimited, wiser, and more courageous than anyone else. We gravitate towards such people and tend to surrender our ability to think and lead our lives to such people. No wonder we have communities that are caught up in an unending cycle of challenges. We experience leaders who don’t quite add value to us, when they leave, we replace them with another of the same and our challenges still remain with us. Most of us come from a background where we have not experienced a leader who really added value to our lives, who transformed us, who liberated us. We get leaders who protect, dominate or abdicate us. We are yet to really experience a liberating leader. A leader who will build a liberating culture (a culture of empowerment and opportunity) that will transform individuals, communities, and nations. This is by offering the right support and challenge.
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According to Leadership Development by Barr & Barr, “Leadership is a dynamic process of judgment and communication that guides others towards a positive personal and organizational achievement. It is the mature use of power to enable others to achieve higher goals.” In Bennis and Nanus 1985 book entitled Leaders, “Power is the basic energy needed to initiate and sustain the action or, to put it in another way, the capacity to translate intentions into reality and sustain it. Leadership is the wise use of this power: Transformative Leadership.” I have come across many definitions of leadership but this stands out for me. This is how I understand leadership. This definition applies both to personal leadership and team/group, organizational and national leadership.
Most people look forward to leadership. Unfortunately, it’s more into titles and opportunities to be able to get what we have never gotten. I would rather you look forward to creating a liberating culture as a leader and leading organizations where people want to work for. To do this, you have to be a liberator as a leader. You have to ask yourself the question of, “how can you provide support and challenge to the people you are leading?” How can you provide support and challenge to yourself, and to your immediate circle of influence? How can you be intentional as a leader and build a culture that liberates and transforms you, and the people you lead?
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To be intentional, you have to know yourself in order to lead yourself. We all have our tendencies which are as a result of our nature; our own unique wiring and personalities. We may never change our tendencies, but we can create a pattern of actions based on our nurturing and choice to experience the kind of a reality we desire. Unless we know very well our present reality, we may never know what to desire for a different reality. This is a very intentional way of living as opposed to being accidental. We are called upon not to conform to the standards of this world but to be transformed by the renewal of our minds so we can test and approve the perfect and good will of God. The questions to ask yourself are, “what's the pattern of this world? What's the reality? What's going on in me and around me that I don't like? How do I create a pattern to liberate me and those under my influence from this present reality?” The questions to ask yourself and the people under your influence every often are:
· What specific support and challenge do I need or do they need from me?
· What is the tendency or pattern most undermining my influence or their influence?
· How do I get to the next level or help them get to the next level?
Critical Questions you need to ask yourself as a young leader:
1. The people you are leading are they in any way getting better? Are you providing them with support and challenge to experience a better version of themselves? Have you helped them to know themselves in order to lead themselves? Are you still the one doing everything or can they do without you? Are you liberating them? Are you providing healing, casting out fears & inhibitions and raising them up to live out their God-given potential?
2. Are they liberated enough to go out there and want to liberate others? Are they willing to get out of your box and go do things because they feel liberated, transformed? Are they equipped enough to go out and equip others?
3. Do you know yourself to lead yourself? Are you able to be present and productive? Do you know your team/people well in order to lead them?
4. What's your personal vision and mission? Do you have a set of a belief system that guides how you live your life? What's your sense of purpose?
If this resonates with you, seek to a liberator. Look for a small community of friends who you can do this together with… Being accountable to a few and practicing with a few. It’s about building a community of friends to share each other’s journey of liberating self and others. You have to be deeply committed to each other and desire to see each other grow in this journey. You have to create a support, encouragement and accountability platform for each other. The community has to be a small as possible so that there is active engagement by all involved.
Find a community around you and see if these conversations make sense to you…
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By Gabriel Odhiambo Achayo.
Leadership, Life and Growth Coach, certified by Lifeforming Leadership Coach (www.lifeformingcoach.com)
Country Coordinator, Africa Youth Leadership Forum, AYLF, Kenya
Perfect article on Transformational leadership which starts with Me^.
ReplyDeleteThis is an inspirational guide to initiate action! Wonderful piece
ReplyDeleteYou break it down in such simple manner that even a blind person can see. Reality versus intention. You need to point out further that there is a big barrier to be overcome in transitioning from our present reality to a new reality. Our attitude could be the only thing that stands between us and our desired destiny. As far as your eyes can see, I shall give unto you. That was God's promise to the children of Israel.
ReplyDeleteTotally in agreement. Most of us have a lot of limiting beliefs or self inhibitions that stop us from experiencing a better reality.
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