Leadership Philosophy

Leadership Philosophy

Ahneka Valdois

Azusa Pacific University

Leadership Philosophy

I have a somewhat conflicted relationship with the idea of leadership. Northouse (2013) provides an overview of different leadership theories. A general, generic definition that he gives of leadership is “a process whereby an individual influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal” (p. 5). Even the general simplicity of this definition gives me qualms because I question the morality of influencing other people. How can I know that what I think really is the best way? In influencing others, I privilege my understanding of a situation over theirs. One of the only ways that I can justify taking such a position toward others is through my commitment to be obedient to God. Obedience to God makes leaders effective because it motivates us to have the faith and the courage to take risks, and it teaches us humility and compassion for others. Obedience to God in service to others is the model that Jesus gave us for leadership.

Influencing Others: A Moral Dilemma

The responsibility of leadership is not a light burden. In discussing transformational leadership, Bass makes the argument that transformational leadership can never be negative and that any leadership that leads to negative outcomes is only “pseudotransformational” (as cited in Northouse, 2013, p. 187). In making this statement, Bass moves leadership from being a value neutral activity to being a value positive activity. Most people who take leadership positions do so in the belief that their leadership is positive. Even notorious leaders like Adolph Hitler probably held this idea. So who gets to decide what is real leadership and what actions do not count as leadership? Where do the values come from? On what basis can anyone prove that their leadership is value positive and not pseudotransformational? I really struggle with these questions in regard to my own leadership.  

So often leadership seems to end up being a matter of proving oneself and impressing others. If others do not think a leader is capable, then he or she cannot influence others and they will not follow even when the end will be productive for everyone. There is a song that describes the way people tend to interact:

Sweet dreams are made of this. Who am I to disagree? I’ve travel the world and the seven seas. Everybody’s looking for something. Some of them want to use you. Some of them want to be used by you. Some of them want to abuse you. Some of them want to be abused. (Lennox & Stewart, 1983, track 1).

Despite its cynicism, these lyrics are depressingly accurate in regard to the way most people can be influenced.

If I did not align my views of leadership with my faith perspective, I would be far more manipulative in my leadership strategies. I know pretty well how people think, and I could be quite skillful at getting them to do what I wanted them to do by playing them against each other and by working on their vanity and fear. Even now, I sometimes get very frustrated when people block change efforts I am trying to make because of irrational fear or a desire to be in control. So many people live in denial, and they often do not respond well to me noticing their hypocrisy. Faced with this reality, I struggle with the moral responsibility of how to influence such people in a way that will honor God.

Because of the pressure that this concern puts on me, I appreciate the servant leadership model set forth by Greenleaf (Northouse, 2013). Servant leadership, at its core, according to Greenleaf, is “then natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first” (Northouse, 2013, p.220). Being motivated by others’ welfare seems like a clearly value positive motivation, unlike trying to actualize one’s vision of a better world which may or may not be “better” according to other sets of values.

Some critics have noted, however, this focus on altruism can seem like a utopian concept because it does not take into account practical considerations like concern for production and goal setting (Northouse, 2013). Sometimes always accommodating others leads nowhere. To balance this weakness, I think servant leadership must be carried out in obedience to God. It is one of the intrinsic attributes of God to create growth so that if we are in obedience to him, more practical considerations will be addressed naturally. As Jesus notes, “Seek first the kingdom of God and all of these things will be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33, English Standard Version).

My highest value as a leader is the desire to demonstrate this obedience to God. I believe in a God-given hierarchy, in which I am under authority, and I owe it to those who follow me to accurately reflect the authority that I am under. In his example of prayer, Jesus requests of God, “Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10b, English Standard Version). I believe that, to the extent our world conforms to God’s will, heaven comes to earth. God has called us to be the change agents who transform others through our example, but first we must really know and be submitted to his will ourselves.

Because of my faith, and my belief in my calling as a leader, I do not believe that I have the right to manipulate people. I believe that God has called me to leave my ego behind in leadership roles. This is a really difficult thing for me to do because I recognize how unreasonable people can be. I have to trust God that He will work in their hearts if my change efforts are really within his will. Jesus modeled this process for us when he was on earth, showing us both how to both serve others and become a source for radical change.

Creating Deep Change

Leadership cannot be only a matter of simply negating oneself in favor of others. Leaders need to be people who can stand for something positive in the face of negative influences—even if those negative influences come from the very people they are trying to serve. Quinn’s (2008) ideas about deep change describe many of my intuitive beliefs about this side of leadership. I think he is right that we need to be ready to take risks and make sacrifices in order to see change in our world. Jesus models Quinn’s idea throughout his life.

Leadership means taking responsibility for oneself. Quinn (2008) describes the process of choosing life. He says that most individuals choose slow death because it seems safer to them.  Quinn states, “Few people are very good at reinventing themselves. They often choose the destructive alternative of staying very busy” (location 272). I tend to be an exception to this rule because one of my top strengths in being restorative (Rath, 2007). I have spent my life on a journey of personal renovation. However, this kind of self-renovation is only the first step in effective leadership.

This tendency, in and of itself, does not make an effective leader. Quinn (2008) describes ways of coping with organizational slow death. Many follow the “peace and pay” strategy, where they keep their head down and slowly let the death of the organization kill them also. I have always been too opinionated and critical to accept this strategy. Perhaps that resistance is simply the result of my personality. However, Quinn also outlines a strategy called the “active exit” strategy. I have often used this strategy. I have left so many organizations and situations because I could not be bothered to challenge the status quo. In many cases, I did not believe that I had the power to change the situation, but it may have been that I merely was not willing to face the personal risks involved. This avoidance of the slow death of others is not effective leadership.

Leadership means taking responsibility for others. Quinn (2008) notes, at one point in his book, that managers choose “short term personal survival over long term collective responsibility” (Location 227). For many years, this attitude was also my approach. I have not been very good at taking responsibility for the collective. When others reject my ideas and my problem-solving mentality, I simply retreated and disengaged, mentally planning my exit. Recently, I was challenged on this tendency by a colleague and realized that neglecting to offer what skills God had given me was not merely a matter of doing no harm. It was a matter of abdicating my responsibility toward my community.

Being an effective leader requires a person to understand and be secure in their own identity and values. Quinn (2008) calls this characteristic integrity. It is easy for me to discount my own vision of reality. People do not like it when I point out to them the problems that they do not want to deal with. Also because of my restorative lens, I have a lot of self-doubt. When other people fail to see my perspective, it is easy for me to believe that maybe I am the one who does not see clearly. When this fear is combined with the fear of negative fallout because I am trying to take a stand, the option to just back away from the situation is very easy to make. They only way for me to really stand my ground is to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that my vision is important to me and that God wants me to fight for it.

Transforming the World through Sacrificial Obedience

This decision to stand by one’s values and vision is a matter of faith. Recently, I had a situation where my vision was challenged. I was accused of being dishonest and unteachable. Without my conviction that God wanted me to stand my ground, I would have backed away from that argument and tried to do what I could to placate the people who disagreed with me, not because I was convinced by their argument but because I was afraid of the repercussions and unsure of my own motives. I believe, though, that God is calling me to stand up and face these risks that come as a natural result of who he has called me to be. Until I can do stand my ground in this area, I cannot be an effective leader.

Jesus is our model of a truly effect deep change agent. Quinn (2008) states:

Empowered leaders are the only ones who can induce real change. They can forcefully communicate at a level beyond telling. By having the courage to change themselves, they model the behavior they are asking of others. Clearly understood by almost everyone, one, this message, based in integrity, is incredibly powerful. It builds trust and credibility and helps others confront the risk of empowering themselves. (Kindle Locations 386-388).

Jesus modeled the change that he asked us to make in our lives in the most dramatic and powerful way possible: by being obedient to death on the cross. Jesus said, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24, English Standard Version). This verse is one of the most compelling change statements ever made. Quinn (2008) echoes this idea in his theory of deep change when he talks about the heroic journey. Jesus modeled that heroic journey in his life, death and resurrection. We are all called to follow his example, and the most authentic and effective way that I can be a leader is by answering that call, by taking up my cross and following him.

Jesus changed his world because he was willing to be obedient to God and make the ultimate sacrifice. As Christians, we are called to do the same thing. Jesus said, “The Son can do of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise” (John 5:19, English Standard Version). In every step of his ministry, Jesus was led by the Spirit. He told his disciples, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5, English Standard Version). My challenge as a leader is to be sensitive to the way that God is leading. This sensitivity requires me to constantly look to God for guidance and wisdom about the choices I make regarding how I spend my time, who I talk to, and what projects I undertake.

Paul tells us that “in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us,” which I think means that when we are fighting the battles that God is asking us to fight, we will win. I hope that my contribution as a leader will be to enact God’s will on the earth and bring life—because that is his heart for the world. It is difficult for me to have a vision beyond that, except to say that I believe that God has called me to “feed the hungry and give [myself] to the afflicted” (Isaiah 58:10, English Standard Version). I cannot give anything that I do not first receive, however, and that is a journey, not a destination, a matter of being available, not a matter of having a master plan or taking control.  

Investing in Others’ Leadership

Encouraging others to develop as leaders is an important part of effective leadership. Quinn (2008) describes this process, as part of deep change. We influence others to change through our own example of integrity and courage. Beer, Eisenstat, and Spector (2011) note how often change movements overlook the greatest resource a leader has: the strengths and knowledge of his or her followers. Inspiring others to step up and contribute their own knowledge and skill to create something better is what gives any change movement strength and sustainability. We will not be able to solve the “wicked problems” of today’s society until we can motivate others to join us in taking responsibility for them (Rittel & Webber, 1973).

Servant leadership is an effective model in this regard. Lacroix and Verdorfer (2017) found that the right kind of servant leadership reduces leadership avoidance. Jesus also demonstrated this strength of servant leadership when he empowered his disciples to take his gospel out into the world. In Greenleaf’s definition of servant leadership, he asks, “Do those who are served grow as persons…? What is the effect on the least privileged in society; will they benefit or at least not be further deprived?” (as cited in Northouse, 2013, p. 220).  These are the questions that guide servant leadership efforts and they are deeply important to me. Am I helping to create an environment where people grow and build each other up? Am I inspiring and challenging others to do the same? These questions are my main preoccupation as a leader. Jesus modeled the kind of leadership that could be passed on, as he did for his disciples. It is my mission to follow his example.

I hope that people will one day be able to say that God did amazing things through me. I want them to be impressed by how much God can do with someone who is intrinsically not that special or unique. In fact, I hope people forget about me and only remember the work. I hope that the change that I help bring about will transform the world even if it is only in the most subtle way.

References

Beer, M., Eisenstat, R.A., & Spector, B. (2011). Why change programs don’t produce change. In J. P. Kotter (Ed.), HBR's 10 Must Reads on Change Management [Kindle Edition]. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/

Johansson, F. (2006). Medici Effect: What You Can Learn from Elephants and Epidemics [Kindle Edition]. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/

Lacroix, M., & Pircher Verdorfer, A. (2017). Can Servant Leaders Fuel the Leadership Fire? The Relationship between Servant Leadership and Followers’ Leadership Avoidance. Administrative Sciences, 7(1), 6. doi:10.3390/admsci7010006

Lennox, A. & Stewart, D.A. (1983). Sweet dreams (are made of this) [Recorded by Eurythmics]. On Sweet dreams (are made of this) [MP3 file]. New York, NY: RCA Records.

Northouse, P.G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and Practice (6th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

Quinn, R.E. (2008). Deep Change: Discovering the Leader Within (1st ed.) [Kindle Edition]. Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/

Rath, T. (2007). Strengths Finder 2.0. New York: Gallup Press.

Rittel, H.W.J. & Webber, M.M. (1973). Dilemmas in a general theory of planning. Policy Sciences 4, 155-169.

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Leadership Philosophy