The skills leaders need to understand to leave organizations better than they found them
A good deal too many local leadership concepts are ignored for western paradigms in the teaching of African leaderhsip theory. But then again, todays African leadership scholarship rewards the practice of western theory. This, in itself, is not a bad thing if it was taught alongside African reserch deriving beneficial lessons for upcomming African leaders. This reserch helps leaders understand the underbelly of leadership that makes a difference in organizations and leaves them better than the leader finds them. It is a very basic lesson, ,but far too many leaders miss the mark on this. Many times leaving the organization in shambles.
Download full research here; The architecture of transformative leadership
Abstract
The emergence of a volatile, unpredictable, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environment in the 21st century challenged the efficacy of traditional leadership theory to ensure business success in turbulent times. This new reality prompted a scholarly search for new transformative leadership theory (TLT) to find ways to help leaders navigate turbulent conditions and equip managers to shepherd institutions to accomplish corporate goals in VUCA contexts. The study explored scholarly literature, business models, professional best practices and case study examples to identify suitable architecture to manage transformative change as a strategy to ensure institutional survival and success in turbulent environments. The results identified the five levels at which institutions can drive transformative change as; thematic focus, business transformation modelling, leading transformative change, values driven transformation and subterranean context. The study identifies five strategies to lead change, highlights twelve elements of TLT and casts the four roles of a transformative change leader as; chairman, strategos, manager and follower. According to the study, the transformative leader must; be courageous and confront the status quo, convince stakeholders and build consensus for change, chart a navigable path through turbulence to corporate goal horizons, and collaboratively share responsibility with followers to embed a desired transformative culture transformation in the institution. The author notes that such change disrupts redundant systems and may be resisted by its intended beneficiaries.
