“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” (Leo Tolstoy).
What are successful change interventions, and how do we create a society that is better enabled to deal with the challenges we face today? It is said that societies don’t change, people change and then they change the orchestration of what we do that leads to a transformed environment (Boaz & Fox, 2014). While reformation movements have come and gone, current National and International Governmental systems are still not fit for purpose to create and sustain a ‘New Earth’ global community (Roche, 2016: [s.a.]). Faced with economic crisis, disharmony among people, and political instability, the role of transformative, or developmental leadership, can neither be assigned as the single responsibility of a system that have failed to serve the needs in society. What is needed is a new kind of thinking about the approach to transformation, especially the role of training and development, and the position of social and business leaders therein. Transformative leadership manifests itself as a collective effort to establish sustainable goals for the modern world where learners, and mentor or leader, both become equal partners in the learning expedition. This approach to collaboration in learning, the future role of educational leadership, and the position of various business organisations therein, are key dynamics often debated among Millennials that long for transformation in their communities. For the new generation of leaders are challenging systems thinking, and are calling for mentors with an out-of-the box business and educational approach to guide and support them.
Transformative Coaching, illuminates the processes of business leadership to impact change in society, which can translate into practical interventions that promote this kind of support needed. The Deloitte, Fifth Global Millennial Survey, agrees that Transformational Coaching and Mentoring of Millennials needs to be embedded in Entrepreneurial Leadership Incubation programmes, to answer the challenges faced in society, and secure a sustainable future (Buckley et al, 2016: 17). Adams (2013: [s.a.]), states that business leaders desperately need help to improve this gap through talent and personal development. Traditional Education, (and degrees), does not guarantee employment prospects, and many young people feel that formal education is not for them, especially when the route to a qualification, marginalises their values and sentiments. So by education systems doing what they’ve always did, many millennials got alienated from the opportunity to reach their full potential and finding meaning in what they need, and want to do. Young people, and most of the older “Indigo’s”, don’t believe in traditional routes either. To support a divergent society and the new visionary thinkers, a new approach to personal empowerment has to be implemented to provide answers for a healthy co-existence that is not subjected to abusive commercialism. Training interventions that focus on Leadership and Entrepreneurial development therefore need to bridge this gap, and retain talent transfer that serves the needs experienced in the work place. And I know that you would be interested to find those solutions as well.
Historically, said Robinson (2010, [s.a.]), the public education system has been birthed through the intellectual culture of the Renaissance (enlightenment era), only to be fuelled by a competitive and adversarial approach to Business that is currently nurtured by the economic climate of the “third” Industrial Revolution. But, underlying the global education system is assumptions about social structures and the academic capacity of the minority, for the benefit of the elite. This created segregation instead of collaboration, which restrains sharing, and mutual growth. The modern epidemic is further aggravated by the creation of an unhappy and frustrated generation that cannot see any meaning and value in education (or life for that matter), whether business, spiritual or cultural, which then further contribute towards a progressive dysfunctional society. Until we transform our training and development systems into a more equitable, inclusive, and socially transformative mechanism, unrest will continue to challenge the well-being of a democratic society (Shields, 2015).
The situation, however, have broader implications. Fleurot (cited by MSLGROUP, 2016. 4), states that the majority of upcoming Millennial leaders desperately yearn for mentors that would translate business, and life experiences into work-integrated learning. The New York Times, reported that Millenniums (youth) are ill-prepared for work simply because there are not enough CEO’s capable to give proper mentorship, who can or are willing to provide the resources, opportunities, and guidance for the development of young social entrepreneurs (Nielsen, 2014; Sparks & Honey, 2014, cited by Tae Yoo. 2016: [s.a]). For a moment, just consider the age of the current leaders that dominate International Politics? Yet, the leading businesses that have a social impact, and are willing enough to create a transformative learning environment for the greater good, is mostly chaired by young people (Beucler cited by MSLGROUP, 2016: 8). Trends in current academic programmes are also moving away from the dependence on remedial internships, and include career or Entrepreneurial Coaching as prerequisite practical element of modern Post-Grad business programmes. Although companies are eager to improve talent development, mentoring of internal motivation and developing transformative leadership skills are rarely considered, as essential support for business success. Esteves and Chevalier (CEO and President of Handiso), in an interview with Times stated that there are not enough capable leaders that are competent, willing and flexible enough in their business approaches, to adjust attitudes and make an effort to initiate change, as an answer to this need in the market (Tae Yoo. 2016: [s.a]). The McKinsey research also indicated that efforts to transform organizational performance fail because the leaders don’t act as role models for change (Boaz & Fox, 2014).
How do we encourage transformation and community empowerment, when there is a lack of role-models, leaving society with much uncertainty in their non-participatory attitude? Not that any business should care about the poor and ignorant unemployed, or should we? Managing change requires linking progressive thinkers and young social entrepreneurs in a transformative learning environment. Change, first take place in the mind of the leaders before they can mentor and guide learners, with a willingness to collaborate with them to enhance or improve society through the implementation of personal success strategies. These strategies involve being the change you want to see in the world, and starts with the leader’s own personal growth. But, many leaders steer away from ‘Personal Development’ because they are uncomfortable touching on areas that are less tangible. Sensitive attitudes and intentions are more difficult to coach, but improving a leader’s ability to motivate and inspire can really make a difference in their effectiveness. According to a recent survey done by Stanford University, more than two-thirds of executive leaders functions ‘lonely at the top’, without any effort made to obtain external consultation towards leadership development, or coaching support (Larcker, et al, 2013: Online). Although greatly sought after, most find it humiliating to have their blind spots exposed to improve their performance and personal potential. Yet, the best-of-the-best business leaders, accredit their success to the out-of-box challenges posed by Transformational Coaching. The key findings of the research conducted also indicated that traditional Executive Coaching, wrongly focuses on systems delivery and the implementation of organisational processes to improve financial results, instead of developing the personal foundations that drive meaning and value in what leaders do. Being in the position of leadership does not mean you suddenly have all the answers, and neither are all leaders self-determined and passionate about their work. Most people simply do what needs to be done to survive and take care of their families, without passion and devoid of rewarding careers, evermore reason to change perspectives about what we do. The role of Transformational Coaching is to encourage collaborative innovation through team work, challenging the thinking and perspectives, supporting change initiatives, and cultivating the appropriate skills needed for change that add value to your life.
Following in the footsteps of our predecessors, traditional leadership systems mobilise business owners to be results oriented, to be generative in nature, and to practice personal accountability for what occurs in the market arena. This approach only place unnecessary pressure on succession by manipulating variables in the economic market for fear of failure, and a believe that there is not enough resource for all to thrive. The transformative learning experience, on the other hand, are a conscious interest in mutual growth and development by reflecting on knowledge, or experiences, and the application of insight gained to expand, or improve personal skills to bridge the talent gap so that all can prosper (UKCPD, 2015). Several ways to stimulate a transformative learning experience is identified by Mezirow (1997), included in an Leadership Incubation process that utilise group projects and interactive dialogue between various generations to stimulate critical reflection, innovation and growth. However, for an educational strategy to induce a transformative learning environment, Cranton (2002: 65), stipulates that the participants need to be guided towards reflection on the deeper meaning of e.g. business activities. For example, it needs to find solutions for specific dilemmas faced in society, instead of discussions becoming an academic critique on theory, or avoiding contextualisation by applying organisational development strategies that seek to enrich the elite. Transformative Learning, according to Mezirow (1998: 197), occurs when e.g. business leaders, engages in activities that causes, or allows them to gain understanding of a different worldview than their own, and by integrating the implications of alternative perspectives into their own worldview, allowing it to transform their lives, and business outcomes. Business strategies must encourage integration of information in either social dialogue for change, or by engagement and active participation in Social Transformation activities that seek to equally empower all involved. This approach to leadership development is dynamic and contributes to the effective development of leadership skills that can be transferred to empower the next generation.
We live in a time of profound radical, whole system change and while our understanding of the world is continually being transformed, it requires a new approach in the empowerment of today’s leaders (Jean Houston, 2016). The complexities entailed, also require a new kind of change agent, one who works from the inside out and has developed the personal capacities required for the complex demands of effective leadership to initiate change. Within a transformative learning environment, opportunities can be presented to integrate theory and research with practical evidence-based strategies to prepare students for work integration. This kind of approach to education, under guidance of an incubation mentor, aim to cultivate the following capacities that is indicative of Transformative Leadership.
Visionary capacity – A passion to inspire, give meaning and significance for the space you fill on earth, which seeds culturally empowering entrepreneurial projects, develop innovative solutions, and orchestrate and motivate change.
Engagement – Communication for persuasion only shows an underlying premise of autocratic and transactional leadership that requires conflict resolution and sales manipulation to maintain the competitive edge. What is required for transformation, are servant and transformational leadership that are capable of imparting a vision that inspire others to reach their own individual capacity and optimum potential, without being incapacitated through an corporate structure.
Being Reflexive – Transformative leaders displays creative innovation in formulating collaborative strategies that negotiate a spiritual transformation that promotes growth among community constituents. Being a reflexive leader shifts linear perspectives that seek personal profit, to an integral consciousness of the benefit that activities can bring to humanity, building relational bridges, and sharing of collective wisdom.
Individual and cultural transformation – Social transformation is initialised by individual capacity transmutation first. It starts by growing the capability for creating a world that is coherent enough to hold many worlds (perspectives), and the skills needed for engaging with diversity and complexity. Transformative Leaders demonstrate such an integrated perspective of the changing expectations and roles of leaders, by articulating challenges and applying the new emerging ethos in contemporary settings.
The concept of ‘transformation, can become meaningless unless being defined by collective participation, and mutual agreed sustainable development goals, whether in the individual’s life, or the wider community. The role of the Transformative Leader, as change agent, therefore needs to elicit community and Corporate’s collaboration to address structural distribution of power and resources (Roche, 2016). Business leaders need to rethink strategies to support such a visionary capacity for meaningful, and social empowering activities that supports economic redistribution of resources. Transformative engagement will therefore seek opportunities for progressive social change that is reflexive, and capable of raising standards through collaborative mentorship and education. Transformative leadership is a radical and critical approach to leadership that entails a new and different worldview through which unbiased decisions are made (Shields, 2016).
In conclusion, there is continual and urgent appeal to business leaders, educators, and change agents, to be part of this kind of solution. This need has given birth to the development of an in-house training program offered by the Meta-Life Institute in Pinetown (KZN, South Africa), as extension of the Transformational Coaching services offered. The short courses in Entrepreneurial Leadership and Social Transformation, is part of the Change Agent Incubation programme presented. Should you be interested to know more about the Entrepreneurial Incubation, or Leadership and Personal Development Programmes, whether participating as Mentor, Student or Sponsor, the author can be contacted at: info@metalifecoaching.co.za.
“Change the way you see things and the things you see will change”. (Dr. Wayne Dyer).
References.
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