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April 5, 2005

alexandermcmanus

The Seven Transformations Of Leadership

Welcome back.

Yesterday we began to talk about the 7 Transformations of Leadership. Today we continue that conversation. Feel free to chime in the comment box. I’ll reply to you there as well.

The 7 Transformations of Leadership

part 1

Self awareness is a key to growing as a leader. I’m not referring here to simply knowing how we feel, but an awareness of how I effect those around me. I founded the ORIGINS International Mentoring Network on this premise: Leaders can grow. One of the early steps to growth as a leader is asking, where am I as a leader? What kind of leader am I? Again, the premise [and why this discussion really matters] is this: you can grow as a leader.

So, what kind of leader are you? The Harvard Business Review offers Seven Ways (“action logics”) of Leading. Here they are.

The Seven Ways

The Opportunist
The Diplomat
The Expert
The Achiever
The Individualist
The Strategist
The Alchemist

Knowing which of these “ways” of leading or what this article calls “action logics” is one of the early steps in developing as a leader. According to the HBR, The least effective leaders in an organization are the Opportunist and Diplomat and the most effective are the Strategist and the Alchemist.

What do you think?

Confession time. I confess to experiencing somewhere between a mild to a very hot skepticism every time I read or take one of these assessments. However, I am convinced that attempting to examine the way my actions, the way even my presence effects others is a worthy endeavor. What do you think? My sense is that when a leader has harnessed her life with white hot passion for the kingdom of Christ, making herself a better more effective leader is an investment well worth making. An early step in developing as a leader is developing a self awareness of the kind of leader I am. Has anyone ever made this kind of investment (i.e. speaking into your life about how you impact others) in your life?

Tomorrow I’ll summarize the characteristics to these seven ways, add my commentary, and explain why those of us on the Jesus way have a lot to teach the world about leadership.

into the mystic…