The 3 Stages Of Transformational Leadership – Learning How To Lead Yourself, Your Teams and Other Leaders By Manoj Sharma

January 7, 2009

Are transformational leaders born or made? The debate on this matter is as old as civilization itself. What we need to realize anew, is that we are all born with a unique mix of the same basic ingredients. It is these basic ingredients, which are either, shaped into transformational leadership by others or by the transformational leader themselves.

Once a human being wakes up to this reality, the process of creating transformational leadership can begin. And when it does, in order for the river of transformational leadership to run its full course, it has to go through the following 3 stages.

1) Primary Transformational Leadership – The Ability To Lead Oneself

Primary Transformational Leadership is a “you and only you” phenomenon. It involves no one else and it is certainly not circumstantial, no matter how vociferously those without it claim to the contrary.

Primary Transformational Leadership starts with a person being principled and doing what’s best, over the long term, for society as a whole. It calls for a proactive approach to problem solving, where others are reactively waiting for solutions to be laid out for them. It requires a certain patience to allow things to fall into place, without any loss of a steely determination to ensure a profitable outcome. It mandates one to continuously advance their level of performance and lead as a shining example. The product of the above 6 Ps is the 7th P – a certain unshakable sense of peace, which is born of the knowledge that you are on the right track.

Primary Transformational Leadership while obviously fundamental is sadly lacking in organizations, communities, regions and the world today.

2) Secondary Transformational Leadership – The Ability To Lead Others

Secondary Transformational Leadership is a “you and others” occurrence. It is a step outside of your world into the world of another. And since it involves other human beings, Secondary Transformational Leadership is really all about assisting other people to win first. This is diametrically opposite to manipulative leadership, which is of a more self-serving nature.

For a Secondary Transformation Leader to fulfill their function, they have to invest the time to raise the awareness of those they have chosen or been chosen to lead. They have to know the personalities of those they are leading and assist to polish them to magnificence. They have to gain clarity of intention of what the objectives are and align targets. They need to create opportunities for others to win and build a great team environment. They need to know how to coach people while at their tasks and keep them coachable. They need to focus not just on developing the best mind sets, but even more so, the best competencies possible.

It fast becomes abundantly clear; one cannot talk about truly leading another human being with the greatest of effectiveness until one has learned to lead oneself.

Hence, the need to establish a firm foundation of Primary Transformational Leadership as a precursor to solid Secondary Transformational Leadership! The above point cannot be stressed enough.

Tertiary Leadership – The Ability To Lead Other Leaders

If Primary Transformational Leadership and Secondary Transformational Leadership have been well honed in an individual, Tertiary Transformational Leadership, which is about “leading other leaders”, is truly a walk in the park.

All it requires for the leader, having taken on the mantle to lead their peers and even superiors, is to keep in mind the lessons of Primary and Secondary Transformational Leadership and to be of service to other leaders. A spirit of service, without “power games” will automatically tear down the fences and open the doors for mutually beneficial collaborative partnerships. Naturally, to do this takes a great deal of maturity and foresight that we often refer to as vision, when it comes to leadership. Also, the higher up you go, the more your internal congruency will be challenged and the greater your fortitude needs to be to uphold it. A firm spiritual knowing never hurt any great leader and a great Tertiary Transformational Leader would do well to acquire it.

Ultimately, Tertiary Transformational Leadership becomes less about being actively involved and more about being a figurehead. In that eventuality, being presidential and above it all, is the final hallmark of a great Tertiary Transformational Leader.

Now, that you’ve read the above and can see where you stand in comparison, what do you feel you need to get started on right now?

Posted by Manoj Sharma | Filed Under Manoj Sharma 

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