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'
Revolutionary and Transformational Church Leaders
Like David the Shepherd, in times of crisis the Charismatic and Transformational Leader comes into our midst with a type of prophetic insight and with a solution to our organizational crisis. Like David, dissatisfied with the status quo and with a vision to bring about change, they run into the battle and with deadly accuracy they release their metaphorical stones from their slings. The charismatic and transformational leader has the ability - by charisma, the gift of grace - to bring about major changes in the organization.
Charismatic and transformational leaders are superb masters of the art of public speaking and are able to use metaphors, analogies and stories with which to stir followers' dissatisfaction with their present situation and instil a sense of 'correctness', a moral striving to a higher level of social change.
Permanent change however cannot take place solely because of the charismatic and transformational leader's vision, self-confidence and rhetorical skills. The vision firstly needs to correspond with the followers' needs and values. Secondly, the vision needs to be reinforced by actions of self-sacrifice that demonstrate the leader's commitment to the vision. Only then will the rainmaker become an agent of change.
The initial 'French Revolution' was followed by a series of counter-revolutions led by charismatic revolutionary leaders who defied and devoured the previous charismatic leaders. Like old lions, leaders can find themselves constantly challenged by younger 'lions' and their fate is eventually to be killed or driven off. Metophorically speaking, the new leader of the pride kills off all the lion cubs to destroy the old lion's gene pool and then he introduces his own. If another stronger lion quickly appears on the scene and drives off the new leader, the then new generation of young cubs is destroyed and the pride is weakened. This is what happened in the various counter revolutions in France. A constant challenge and change that resulted in very little growth.
When this happens in the church, it is very detrimental as it gives the appearance that the predecessor was not anointed of God and what was done before through their efforts was a waste of time. It did not have God's blessing on it.
What causes charismatic revolutionary leaders to implement and become victims of the new revolution?
What causes them to one minute be hailed as saints and heroes and then be regarded as devils or villains?
Charismatic leaders are revolutionary leaders who are for the 'here and now' and tend not to be in touch with the long-term needs and values or their organization. The charismatic revolutionary leader is satisfied with being a hero of history, a catalyst for change, rather than a transformer of history - one who builds a lasting legacy.
History indicates that most charismatic revolutionary leaders have an average vital-impact life expectancy of three to five years. (The only charismatic revolutionary who defied the norm is Castro, the president of Cuba.)
Once the charismatic revolutionary leader's task has been completed, unless they mature into transformational leaders they either are moved on by another charismatic revolutionary leader or they fall prey to the dark-side of leadership in an attempt to protect that which they have developed.
Elizabeth I was a Protestant queen who inherited a Privy Council made-up of Catholic leaders. Favoring reformation over revolution, she recognized that it was intimidating and threatening to introduce new blood too quickly into her organization.
People who feel threatened and intimidated generate deep resentment that undermines any organization's progress towards its goals.
The French charismatic revolutionary leaders however, in their efforts to hold on to their positions of power, unleashed the dark-side of leadership by moving to violent dictatorship.
It is important for leaders to understand the dangers that lurk in the dark-side of charismatic revolutionary leadership. Charisma is a double-edged sword with an edge of light and an edge of darkness which manifest in two very negative and destructive syndromes.
The 'Narcissistic Syndrome': where the charismatic revolutionary leader becomes self-absorbed in what they are doing; full of anxiety over their performance and continually seeking applause for their performance as leader.
The 'Succession Syndrome': where the charismatic revolutionary leader fails to raise-up a successor because he feels that no one else can do his job as well as he can.
Negative anxiety causes leaders to activate the destructive forces of the narcissistic and succession syndromes.
What is interesting about Narcissistic Syndrome is that narcissistic behavior is really a natural part of the charismatic and transformational leader's personality. On the positive side of narcissistic behavior, we know that it is essential for leadership success.
Sigmund Freud recognized the dark-side to the narcissistic personality. According to Greek mythology, Narcissus died because of his pathological preoccupation with himself.
This preoccupation with 'self' manifests itself in leaders in seven character changes.
1. Overly-inflated Ego
- Surrounding themselves with subordinates who are loyal and uncritical, they make decisions without gathering adequate information.
2. Extremely Sensitive to Criticism
- The charismatic revolutionary leader loses sight of reality; exploding over trivial things and interpreting harmless acts as threats to his control.
3. Narcissistic leaders become poor listeners
- Because criticism is too painful to bear, they stop listening to advice.
4. Need and Desire for Applause
- They have a constant desire for applause, and like King Saul will even disobey the will of God in order to receive the needed applause.
5. Lack of Compassion
- Narcissistic leaders lack empathy and compassion for others. In 1st Samuel Chapter 14 Verses 19 to 35 King Saul placed a curse upon anyone who would stop and eat anything before they had finished pursuing the Philistines. After defeating the Philistines the people were so hungry that they killed and ate raw meat, and thus sinned against God.
6. Will Not Mentor Others
- The Narcissistic leader shies away from being mentored and mentoring others because no other and certainly no protege could possibly be as good as they themselves. King Saul once again exemplifies this quality.
7. Win At All Cost
- The narcissistic syndrome turns God's 'gift of grace' into a self-absorbed monster whose conscience knows no restraints to the extent that like King Saul the leader can be obsessed with destroying one person, and ignore the external threat to the organization.
The final outcome of narcissists in leadership, is that like King Saul and Narcissus himself, they metaphorically speaking - die, in that their Charisma - their gift of grace for Godly leadership, withers up and dies.
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.
