LEAF 529: Transformational Leadership and Organizational Changes
Faculty: Richanne Mankey
Date: October 29, 2014
Books: Leadership for transformation. J. D. Barbour, and G. R. Hickman, (2011).
Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us. D.H. Pink, (2009).
The fifth agreement: A Toltec wisdom book. d. M Ruiz, and d. J. Ruiz, (2010)
The art of possibility. B. Zander and R.S. Zander (2000)
Summary: This course is about “being and becoming the values you treasure” (Mankey, 2007) as evidence shows that until we are aligned with ourselves we are less effective aligning with or pulling forward an organization or system.
This course examines the process of organizational change and the critical role that leadership plays in successfully bringing it about. Throughout the course the participants will be encouraged to ‘translate’ the course content to their work experience, both past and future. Topics include Appreciative Inquiry, resistance to change, change as transition, transformational leadership, the change leader’s habits and tactics, and a structured process of change (Mankey, 2007) .
To be a leader during a time of change often takes emotional intelligence, as Northouse (2004) states, “Whereas intelligence is concerned with our ability to learn information and apply it to life tasks, emotional intelligence is concerned with our ability to understand emotions and apply this understanding to life’s tasks” (Northouse, 2004, p. 27). He goes on to say that emotional intelligence is our ability to perceive and express emotions and to facilitate thinking.
Zander and Zander (2000) assert that the life force of humankind is the ability and desire to connect. “Enrollment is the art and practice of generating a spark of possibility for others to share”(Zander & Zander, 2000, p.125). “This practice launches you on a soaring journey of transformation and development with others, a completely different route than the one of managing relationships to avoid conflict. It calls for courage and compassion. You do not find compassion simply by listening to people; you open the channel by removing the barriers of tenderness within you” (Zander & Zander, 2000, p.158). The Art of Possibilities was one of my favorite books as it resonated with my real life situation.
So What, Now what: How we react to the bumps in the road plays an important part in our transformational leadership journey; grief and pain; love and happiness; knowing and not knowing; hurt and forgiveness; anger and resentment; joy and hope; as well as faith and resolve all impact what direction we take and how we move forward.
Riding for a cause.