I first learned about the concept of transformational leadership when I enrolled as a doctoral student at Bakke Graduate University (BGU) in 2009. Prior to that time, I had studied various leadership perspectives in books and in previous academic pursuits. None of those approaches to leadership really resonated with me. Since my first course at BGU, which was a deep dive in transformational leadership for the global city during an immersive learning experience in Seattle, I have had developed a passion for teaching and training networks of leaders around the world on eight perspectives on transformational leadership.
I have taught these perspectives with many people in my home city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where I have served as an urban pastor and city movement leader since 2006. And I have taught these perspectives with many people around the world through my leadership role at BGU, where we equip advanced leaders to transform their communities through degree programs and certificates offered in five different languages on six continents. As I have traveled around the world, I have had a first-hand view of remarkable things that God is doing in the world through men and women who have implemented the transformational leadership perspectives in their unique contexts.
In my writing, I try to share practical examples and stories from my own journey as a transformational leader. And I highlight stories of friends and colleagues around the world who are seeing dramatic results in their cities. I have plenty of content because so many good things are happening! In the month of April, I will be traveling to Berlin, Amsterdam, and Addis Ababa. I can’t wait to share more about what God is doing through leaders in those world class cities.
Also, Pittsburgh is hosting the 2026 NFL Draft in April. We are expecting to welcome between 500,000 and 1 million visitors to our city! I am part of a planning team at Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation that is leading a charge to mobilize people of faith for 30 Days of Prayer where we will prayer walk every neighborhood in Pittsburgh ahead of, during, and after the NFL Draft. The prayer walking initiative launches on April 7th, and it culminates on May 7th with the Pittsburgh Prayer Breakfast at Acrisure Stadium. I am sure that I will have many stories to share about what God is going to do in Pittsburgh through those efforts.
Much of what I share focuses on eight perspectives on transformational leadership. These perspectives were developed at Bakke Graduate University, and they have been taught widely in more than 100 countries in formal academic settings, in local churches, in power packed board rooms, in informal settlements with people on the margins of society in megacities, and in online forums. The impact of these transformational leadership perspectives has been measured through research projects and published widely in journal articles and books. The impact has also been witnessed anecdotally in the streets of many communities. So, here are the eight perspectives:
Calling-based Leadership: The leader seeks to understand God-given gifts, experiences and opportunities in understanding his/her unique role as a called instrument of Christ’s transforming work in and above world cultures.
Incarnational Leadership: The leader pursues shared experiences, shared plights, shared hopes, in addition to shared knowledge and tasks.
Reflective Leadership: The leader lives in reality, reflects on its meaning, and catalyzes others with the courage, symbols, and example to make meaning in their own lives.
Servant Leadership: The leader’s behavior and priority is on servanthood first. In the style of Jesus, the leader leads by serving and serves by leading.
Contextual Leadership: The leader recognizes the previous work of God in other cultures and seeks to experience its unique gospel expression.
Global Leadership: The leader understands the complexity of today’s global, pluralistic, urban, economic, and political landscape and sees the Church from the perspective of a world church rather than a nationalized, denominational, or localized church.
Shalom Leadership: The leader pursues reconciling relationships between people, people and God, people and their environment, and people and themselves. The leader works toward the well-being, abundance, and wholeness of the community as well as individuals.
Prophetic Leadership: The leader speaks truth with love to and through power. With sacrifice and humility, the leader pursues change in the broken systems and practices in the political, economic, social, and religious life of the city and world. The leader must give voice to those that have no voice (Prov. 31:8).
What are your thoughts on these definitions for the eight perspectives on transformational leadership? Is there anything that you would add or change about each definition? Would you add any perspectives that have been effective in your life and leadership?
No comments:
Post a Comment