Listen to Insight

MAY 6, , 2019

LEADERSHIP & TRANSFORMATION

For the past months, we have studied Leadership from the perspective of its definition, inspiration and the vision process (the principles requisite for leaders to transform God-given visions into reality). Teachings or seminars on the foregoing purely from a secular perspective are not in short supply in our world. Teachings on the same but purely from a spiritual and bible based  perspective are not as plentiful. We have attempted in foregoing months to teach, using etymological and biblical references, how the leadership and vision process is deeply rooted in scripture.

Leadership, Dreaming and the Vision process has to do with inspiration—a spiritual process in itself. Inspiration is related with life and peace or vitalization (quickening) as a result of God’s life giving spirit embedding dreams, vision and ideas within us. Expiration has to do with death as a result of God’s spirit (life giving spirit) being absent or leaving us.  

Now that we have looked at the source of vision and principles that will help us to translate vision from thought to reality, lets us consider what our vision must do. It must transform. This is why this series is called the Transformation Leadership Series.  

TRANSFORMATION

We have heard “Be the change that you wish to see in the world”. While this is true, Change is a complex multifaced concept.  Transformation is not simply a change—so we are not referring to leadership with a vision  that simply changes things in society. When we use the word transformation, we are referring to a specific kind or type of change—not just ordinary change.

DEFINING TRANSFORMATION

Dictionaries of English didn’t exist before 1604. The first created was schoolmaster Robert Cawdrey’s A Table Alphabeticall (1604). It defined transform thus:

transforme, (* synonyms *) change from one fashion, to

The 1828 Webster’s Dictionary defines transform as:

1. To change the form of; to change the shape or appearance; to metamorphose; as a caterpillar transformed into a butterfly.
2. To change one substance into another; to transmute. The alchimists sought to transform lead into gold.
3. In theology, to change the natural disposition and temper of man from a state of enmity to God and his law, into the image of God, or into a disposition and temper conformed to the will of God.
4. To change the elements, bread and wine, into the flesh and blood of Christ.
5. Among the mystics, to change the contemplative soul into a divine substance, by which it is lost or swallowed up in the divine nature.

The Strong's Concordance and Lexicon defines the word as associated with G3339  metamorphoō

as “to transform (literally or figuratively “metamorphose”): - change, transfigure”.

Thayer's Greek Lexicon defines transform (metamorphoō) as follows:

1) to change into another form, to transform, to transfigure

1a) Christ appearance was changed and was resplendent with divine brightness on the mount of transfiguration

TRANSFORMATION LEADERSHIP CONVERSATION

So, when we say transformation leadership, we are referring to a change process which is not linear but leaps across form, state, fashion, shape, appearance or figure. This type of leadership does not simply meet a caterpillar and influence that caterpillar to be a smarter, better, faster, bigger or influential caterpillar. No, rather the influence of such leadership brings about a change in state, form etc.—a transformation from caterpillar to butterfly, a maggot to a beetle, a mere living soul to a life giving spirit. It brings about a change in form, state, fashion, shape, appearance or figure.

Now this word transform has been repackaged and resold many times during the course of history but careful examination reveals that the salespeople are referring to the same thing and many of these sales people are within the consulting and academic leadership community.

One of the latest words being used within this community and others is the word “Disruptive”.

TRANSFORMATION OR DISRUPTION?

In the literature of innovation theory, “disruptive” is associated, with “disruptive technology,” which Clayton Christensen outlined in his book The Innovator’s Dilemma. Disruptive thinking is not so much about how to spot and react to disruptive changes in technology and the marketplace; it’s about how to be the disruptive change. Proponents of disruption add that one must figure out a way to be the only one who does what you do to be disruptive and this requires “a new way thinking about competition and the business you’re in—a way of thinking that surprises the market again and again with exciting, unexpected solutions. A way of thinking that produces an unconventional strategy that leaves competitors scrambling to catch up. A way of thinking that turns consumer expectations upside down and takes an industry into its next generation”.

While this is packaged well and all, all disruption is about at its core is—transformation—via the thinking faculty of the mind and heart, changing the nature of leadership, business, innovation etc., such that this change is more like a transfiguration—a change in form, state, fashion, shape, appearance or figure that moves the industry into its next development stage or generation.

This leads us to how transformation takes place.

THE THINKING LEADER

Thinking or imagination is one of the most underrated leadership aptitudes. Transformation does not take place by earning a University degree or having the right contacts within your social or business network. It takes place by what you do with the faculty of your mind—thinking. This is the reason for the admonition, “… be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind (Romans 12:2). This is why industry leaders inculcate meditation into their daily routine. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life (zōē) and peace (eirēnē) Romans 8:6 (NASB). Nothing impacts the course of our lives nor our leadership influence more than we what choose to set our minds on. Consider the power of your mind / heart from Proverbs 4:20-23.

• Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts (Good News Translation)
• Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life (New Living Translation)
• Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it ( New International Version)
• Carefully guard your thoughts because they are the source of true life (Contemporary English Version)

In the scriptures, the word heart and mind are used interchangeably. The heart is the treasure house where thoughts are stored and meditated upon. That which we think on, will eventually overflow out of the womb of our hearts through our mouths as words and these words shape or frame our reality—much like “we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God” Hebrews 11:3.

Luke 6:45 (KJV)  A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

The nature of the treasures (good or evil) in our heart dictate our reality and experiences. Because this treasure house is so vitally important to the course of our lives, we are instructed in verse 23 of Proverbs 4 to “Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life”. What must we guard in our hearts? The preceding verses 20-22 answers that: “attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings. Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh.”

CONCLUSION

Leadership is influence and transpires as we inspire others and both influence and inspiration begin in the mind / heart. To be a great leader or what Apostle James calls a perfect man[1] (James 1:4), be vigilant with what words are sown in your heart, be watchful of what you meditate upon, and then allow the God-breathed thoughts meditated upon to become rhema words and speak them forth and frame reality according to God’s plan for your destiny and sphere of leadership.

Watch out for renegade thoughts and imaginations and cast them down along with “every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God [in your mind and heart], and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” 2 Corinthians 10:5. If you allow wrong thoughts in, you will live a reality which is not God’s best for you. What then must we think on?

…[W]hatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them] Philippians 4:8 (AMPC).

Transformation is a process sparked and sustained by a continual process of mind renewal with whatsoever is true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report; virtuous etc. His thoughts aren’t ours and so we must ditch the things of men for those of God. We must take on the mind of God. We become an offense and a hindrance and a snare to Jesus and hostile to him (Matthew 16:23; Romans 8:) when we “savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men”, when we “are minding what partakes not of the nature and quality of God, but of men” Matthew 16:23 (AMP). "[That is] because the mind of the flesh [with its carnal thoughts and purposes] is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God's Law; indeed it cannot."  Romans 8:7 (AMPC). Transformation requires not being conformed to this world or age, not fashioning and adapting ourselves to its external, superficial customs—but rather allowing ourselves to be changed by the entire renewal of our mind—by its new ideals and its new attitude (Romans12:2 AMP). In other words, it is shedding one culture and taking on another—through the cultivation of our minds with God’s thoughts, ideals and words. The primary agent for transformation is the logos word of God. Logos is the body of truth. It is the revealed Word of God that expresses His thoughts, his personality, his character, his plans, purposes. We must allow ourselves to undergo acculturation through the logos.

Acculturation  in this context is the process of cultural, psychological and spiritual transformational change that takes place when members of one cultural group adopts the mindset beliefs, attitudes, customs, ideals and behaviors of another superior group.

Leadership which is founded upon this type of transformation is what is termed as Transformational Leadership. It has undergone transformation and so it can be useful in effecting and driving transformation. Put differently, since the person themselves has undergone transformation, they too can become agents of transformation. A man or woman can only give what they have. An untransformed person cannot be an agent of transformation. At best, they can mimic real agents of transformation.

We will end here and pick it up next time.