Edited and Published by R.P. BenDedek with permission from Dr. Tony Keys'. This article is a heavily edited excerpt from Dr. Key's book: 'Growing Future Leaders'
Transformational Leadership and Succession in the Church
***image1***The lasting future of any organization depends upon the principle of succession. Therefore, one of the key issues of leadership is the ability to identify, develop and retain talented leaders who understand and exemplify the organization's unique culture and vision whilst at the same time lead the organization to a new level of growth.
Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States of America, is remembered not so much for his presidency but for his work as a legislator in developing the guidelines for democratic government that still today influence free nations. It was said of him by the historian Clay Jenkinson:
"To understand Jefferson, you need to know that he was a collector of proteges. He could never have achieved what he did without able-bodied men."
The things that distinguish leaders who run with horses from those who shuffle along is their ability to live a life of purpose that stretches beyond their own time. They have the ability to recruit and grow future leaders who will be leaders of great purpose and direction for the Kingdom of God.
Before the principles of succession can become part of the culture of the organization, the leaders themselves must go through a maturing process where they move from being a charismatic revolutionary leader to a great reformer: a transformational leader.
David Ogilvy, head of Ogilvy & Mather would say to new managers, "If each of us hires people who are smaller than we are, we shall become a company of dwarfs, but if each of us hires people who are bigger than we are, Ogilvy and Mather will become a company of giants." Ogilvy and Mather is today one of the largest marketing and advertising companies in the world and has over 359 offices located in over ninety countries.
One of the things that distinguishes leaders who run with horses from those who shuffle along under the anointing, is their ability to recruit and grow future leaders of great purpose and direction for the Kingdom of God.
For leaders of change to successfully raise-up leaders who will continue the legacy they have created, they need to understand the importance and dynamics of succession.
In leadership development, there is a term employed that summarizes the cause-and-effect relationship between a leader and a protege. It is called the Pygmalion and Galatea Effect
The way managers treat their subordinates is influenced by what they expect of them - and - the individual's opinion about his ability and his self-expectations about his performance largely determine his performance.
In Numbers Chapter 27 Verses 16 to 17, we see Moses' concern as a leader that Israel be left with a successor. Moses recognized that there is an expectation that comes with the anointing. A leader must provide a successor who will successfully lead the people of God to a new level.
The ability to implement and carry out the steps of succession fulfils this great expectation that comes with being anointed as a leader. An effective transformational leader of any organization must prepare and leave behind a successor who will continue their legacy.
Charismatic and Transformational Leadership
Charismatic and transformational leaders, by their personalities and natures, are agents of change characterized by a restless energy to create, by a constant sense of dissatisfaction with the status quo. Their impulsiveness and impatience for change cause them to continually seek out new opportunities and new ways of doing things.
Charismatic and transformational leaders' creativity, inspiration, insight and vision allow them to exhibit their tremendous capabilities in creating enormous change in an organization.
The word 'charisma' seems to carry with it the thought of a gift of grace given in a time of great distress or acute and chronic crises. The words 'charisma' and 'charismatic' remained restricted to the church until the early part of the nineteenth century when Max Weber, a German Sociologist, applied them to the style of leadership that demonstrated exceptional heroic qualities or actions advocating revolutionary changes in an organization.
He defined charisma as "a certain quality of an individual's personality by virtue of which he is set apart from ordinary men and treated as endowed with supernatural, superhuman or at least specifically exceptional qualities". (Avis, Paul 1992 Leadership and Conflict in the Church, Villiers House, p. 67)
In recent years, the church has tended to mix both meanings and defines the charismatic leader as one with exceptional qualities of leadership, endowed with the gift of grace from God to alleviate great distress in times of trouble and who has great influence on followers.
Charismatic and Transformational Leaders don't just appear on the scene. Certain social climatic forces necessitate their arrival. It is during times of great distress or times of major transition, people become what is called 'charisma hungry', searching for a charismatic or transformational leader who embodies their ideals and values.
The charismatic-transformational leader's authority is always linked to their calling and mission in life and 1st Samuel Chapter 17, provides us with the charismatic-transformational leader 'par excellence' - King David.
David's actions in Killing Goliath, inspired and motivated the Israelites who, confident that the time for change had indeed come, leapt forth into action, rushed down upon the bewildered Philistines and drove them from their land, thus breaking the status quo and beginning the process of much-needed change for Israel.
Permanent change however, relies upon more than a momentary action or oratorial skills. It must be directly linked to the needs and values of the particular society of followers.
As already stated, before the principles of succession can become part of the culture of the organization, the leaders themselves must go through a maturing process where they move from being a charismatic revolutionary leader to a great reformer: a transformational leader.
My book (of which this article is an excerpt) 'Growing Future Leaders' : The Enormous Potential of Followers', explores the power of mentoring and coaching, and offers strategies for identifying and accelerating the growth of high-potential followers and future leaders.
When faced with the responsibility of leading your organization into the future by developing leaders for that future, may you boldly proclaim as did Jeremiah (Jer 12:5), "I will run with horses!"
Pastor Anthony Keys
Brisbane, Australia.
Email: trinitylead@uq.net.au
Copyright © 2011
The Trinity Institute of Leadership Inc.
Growing Future Leaders - The Enormous Potential of Followers - Published 2006 by CRS Publishing, Unit 9, 147 Marshalltown Rd, Grovedale, Victoria 3216, Australia.
Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the NKJV Holy Bible
Pastor Tony Key's professional career includes extensive experience in leadership positions in non-profit organisations, ministry, education, industry and churches. He has been actively involved in a vast range of leadership roles, which includes experience as the Director of two Christian tertiary education centres, Church Pastor, Assistant Principal of a non-profit Christian School, Factory Manager, Youth Worker, Crusade Co-ordinator, and an administrator for a theatre company. He has travelled extensively throughout Australia and the world, preaching and ministering in churches as well as conducting leadership seminars for churches, bible colleges, missionary and not-for-profit organisations and meeting in a consulting role with church leaders.
