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Personal Transformation in Four Steps

Leadership challenges-Personal Transformation

Abstract ID: PMIBC_17_3_22

Project Management Practitioners’ Conference 2017

www.pmibanga lorechapter .o rg

CONTENTS

Abstract ........................................................................................................................................................................ 3

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................. 3

Details of the paper...................................................................................................................................................... 5

Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................................. 12

References ................................................................................................................................................................ 12



ABSTRACT

Personal transformation is critical and the foundation for creating leadership for yourself and creating leaders in

organizations.

My experience of getting transformed to being a lean and agile coach who influence and transforms teams at work

place is shared through this paper. This process take few months to years for anyone.

Step 1: Introspection- Getting coached.

Most cases need an external trigger and coaching required to make a person get out of the state and vicious circle

of negative thinking. Focus is to develop the ability to continuously ‘introspect’ through multiple programs on

leadership on psychological, spiritual and physical levels.

Step 2: Coaching others – Developing your Leadership.

Live your purpose by creating your own methods and forums to coach others and developing leadership for

yourself through it.

Step 3: Identify your Purpose and start living by it - Being a leader

Declare a purpose statement that your life is worth living for. Identify core values of your organization that aligns

with your purpose and values. Be fearless in taking actions to fulfil your purpose and values.

Step 4: Leaving a Legacy- Share your work!

Create or use all platforms to share and enrol people in to what your work is about. This step is about leaving your

legacy through your work within and out of your organizations. Create your CULT following.

INTRODUCTION

“To be authentic is literally to be your own author, to discover your own native energies and desires, and then to

find your own way of acting on them.” – Warren Bennis

Transformation is the act or process of changing completely: A complete change in thinking and acting for

creating significant results for the individual and organization. The fundamental aspect of a successful

organizational transformation initiative is that people being completely enrolled to the vision and take actions to

implement the strategy. Challenges faced by an organizational transformation initiative is similar to that of

leadership development. In fact leadership in people are created while transforming their areas of responsibility

and their ability to extend it. This creates transformational leadership and not the traditional, industrial age “give

and take” transactional leadership. Intention and purpose of transformational leadership is to create majority of

leaders in to ‘givers’ and not ‘takers’.



How do we shift leadership from transactional to transformational for ourselves and in our organization? Let us

understand first the four components of Transformational leadership. [Ref.2]

• Idealized Influence - the leader serves as an ideal role model for followers; the leader "walks the talk," and is admired for this.

• Inspirational Motivation - Transformational leaders have the ability to inspire and motivate followers. Combined these first two I's are what constitute the transformational leader's charisma.

• Individualized Consideration and attention - Transformational leaders demonstrate genuine concern for the needs and feelings of followers. This personal attention to each follower is a key element in bringing out their very best efforts.

• Intellectual Stimulation - the leader challenges followers to be innovative and creative. A common misunderstanding is that transformational leaders are "soft," but the truth is that they constantly challenge followers to higher levels of performance.

Transformational leadership becomes most relevant in context of the challenges faced in managing the

millennials, need for vastly improved workforce planning and forecasting and preparing leadership for upcoming

Artificial Intelligence revolution and Digitalization. One major contributor to millennials' low employee

engagement is poor or absent professional and career development. Career development in most part is

leadership development. The four fundamental steps of personal transformation explains how we can create

transformational leadership for ourselves and for others and engage workforce for organizational transformation.

The Three Levels of Leadership model formulated in 2011 by James Scouller [Ref.4] will also help us to

understand the structure and expand the transformational leadership for ourselves and in our organization and

beyond.



• The first two levels – public and private leadership – are "outer" or "behavioral" levels. Scouller distinguished between the behaviors involved in influencing two or more people simultaneously (what he called "public leadership") from the behavior needed to select and influence individuals one to one (which he called private leadership). He listed 34 distinct "public leadership" behaviors and a further 14 "private leadership" behaviors.

• The third level – personal leadership – is an "inner" level and concerns a person's leadership presence, knowhow, skills, beliefs, emotions and unconscious habits. "At its heart is the leader's self-awareness, his progress toward self-mastery and technical competence, and his sense of connection with those around him. It's the inner core, the source, of a leader's outer leadership effectiveness." (Scouller, 2011).

To apply this model, especially first two levels need expert coaching assistance, the four step process explained in

the following sections is derived from the experiences of application of the third level of personal leadership while

working to create an organizational transformation over a period of time.

DETAILS OF THE PAPER

Most of the ‘internal’ effort for creating Leadership Transformation is not easily visible. Beneath the surface of a

this work, in the large part, the internal effort necessary to change the way a leader leads and directs her/his life.

This deeper part is about results, and also how well a leader develops and maintains capacity to be effective. The

4 step process here works primarily on the internal efforts being cultivated for Leadership. This need us to look in

to different view of how we spent our efforts and time.

Step 1: Introspection- Getting coached.

Most cases need an external trigger and coaching required to make a person get out of the state and vicious circle

of negative thinking. Focus is to develop the ability to continuously ‘introspect’ through multiple programs on

leadership on psychological, spiritual and physical levels.

Introspection start with the question: “Are you behaving and performing in a way that is truly consistent with what

you would like to believe about yourself?”



What are methods, techniques and skills that are required for creating leadership for you through coaching?

Psychological and spiritual areas are covered in the following sub-sections. Physical leadership required

enrolling in to YOGA and physical exercise programs.

The goal in leadership development, it is important to remember, is to develop well-rounded leaders, ones with the

skills and personal attributes needed to adapt, act with flexibility, and combine what appear to be opposites:

toughness and compassion, self-confidence and humility, strong individuals and good team players

1.1 Learning to do Appreciative inquiry.

Organizations are created, maintained and changed by conversations, and that methods of organizing were only

limited by people's imaginations and the agreements among them. Excellent team leaders are aware of their

natural styles—they know what they like to do, what they can do easily and well, and what they can accomplish

only with difficulty if at all. They learn over time how to exploit their special strengths and preferences, and how to

contain or circumvent their weaknesses.

Appreciative inquiry [Ref 6] attempts to use ways of asking questions and envisioning the future in order to foster

positive relationships and build on the present potential of a given person, organization or situation. The most

common model utilizes a cycle of four processes, which focus on the following:

1. DISCOVER the present reality: The identification of processes that work well. (strengths)

2. DREAM the future: The envisioning of processes that would work well in the future.(for enabling strengths)

3. DESIGN the future: Planning and prioritizing processes that would work well. ( focusing on strengths)

4. Reach the DESTINY: The implementation of the proposed actions.

The aim is to rebuild individuals and organizations around what works, rather than trying to fix what doesn't.

I have applied Appreciative inquiry in a group setting for organizational transformation initiative divided in to

multiple workshop sessions with a set of cross- functional, cutting across hierarchy transformation core team.

Each session would take 2-3 hours with breaks. Participants were asked to create a definition of current state and

future state. Appreciative inquiry helps to bring people together to create and prioritize plans for transformation.

1.2 Developing Janusian thinking.

Janus is a Roman God who has two faces, each looking in the opposite direction. Janusian thinking is the ability

to imagine and hold in mind two opposites or contradictory ideas or concepts, existing at the same time. In order to

become a transformational coach and leader, this is a must have ability.



Myth: You can’t have your cake and eat it too.

Reality: Rather than succumbing to the “tyranny of the OR” they embrace the “genius of the AND.”

While working on any transformation or even managing projects follow these rules for improving your Janusian

thinking ability:

Rule 1: Do not focus on Person OR Situation instead Person AND Situation.

Creating conscious focus on understanding the background /environment along with the person is important

skill to develop for being a leader. Leadership behaviour is a function of the person in their environment.

Rule 2: Transform yourself from Democratic OR Authoritarian to Democratic AND Authoritarian

You must develop the understanding when to be authoritarian and democratic. Especially while dealing with

Millennials and working on transforming areas at work. Going against the grain when necessary and not being

democratic

Rule 3: Transform yourself from Relativist OR Dogmatist to Relativist AND Dogmatist

A Relativist commitment to open-mindedness and flexibility, but lacks conviction and certainty for sustained action.

A Dogmatist possesses conviction and certainty, but lacks open-mindedness and flexibility.

Rule 3: Transform yourself from Tough OR Nice to Tough AND Nice

Beautiful enemies are special kind of people that know how to present criticism. This type of people will not

agree with all you say, but they present the disagreement with special treatment not to hurt you much. They take

care about your feelings on one way but also want you to become better in the other. You become a beautiful

enemy to others by surrounding yourself with your beautiful enemies. [Ref 6]

“He that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves, and sharpens our skill. Our antagonist is our helper.-”Edmund

Burke

1.3 Become Transcendal Charismatic

Charisma means compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others. There are two types of

charisma, Ego- centric and Transcendal. People with ego- centric charisma lack humility and decreases perceived

leadership effectiveness. In order to become transcendal charismatic leader we must develop the following:

1. People first, then strategy

a. Make everyone feel extremely valuable

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Function_(mathematics)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Person

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_environment



2. Increase Emotional Intelligence

a. Increase self-awareness through journaling

b. Avoid emotional hijacking

c. Using present language

d. Meditation

3. Recognize patterns of intuitive judgment

a. Study and listen leaders

4. Have clear Vision

5. Awareness—know what others want

Step 2: Coaching others – Developing Leadership.

Leaders create their environment in organizations through their assumptions and expectations. We must learn to

apply appreciative inquiry, janusian thinking and transcendal charisma to alter and create a new environment

through coaching teams and individuals.

Coaching is integral for creating leadership and in transforming teams and organizations. At the heart of good

executive / transformation coaching is the ability to ask provocative questions. Clarity and high levels of

‘presence’ of mind is a pre- requisite for each coaching session. I combined both GROW model and International

coaching federation coaching competencies together to create the foundation of coaching for transformation.



2.1 Steps to create coaching program

International Coaching Federation Competencies [Ref 7] work in my experience as steps in developing and

running a coaching programs for teams in addition to being the competencies required to become a certified

coach.

• Setting the Foundation

✓ Set Ethical and Professional Standards for the transformation coaching sessions.

✓ Establishing the (informal) Coaching Agreement with (core) Team.

• Co-creating the Relationship

✓ Establishing Trust and Intimacy with (core) team.

✓ Coaching Presence.

• Communicating Effectively

✓ Active Listening



✓ Powerful Questioning

✓ Direct Communication

• Facilitating Learning and Results

✓ Creating Awareness

✓ Designing Actions

✓ Planning and Goal Setting

✓ Managing Progress and Accountability

2.2 Steps for conducting coaching sessions with GROW Model (Goal – Reality-- Obstacles and Options --

Way forward)

• Create the context for the coaching session

• Use template for Current Reality and for Creating Future

• Divide to teams each working on each areas for break outs- Bring all together.

• Agree on goals, objectives.

• Get Reality- Build relationships, confidentiality.

• Obstacles and options- Avoid problem solving, Focus on present

• Wrap up and way forward

Step 3: Identify your Purpose and start living by it - Being a leader

Declare a purpose statement that your life is worth living for. Identify core values of your organization that aligns

with your purpose and values. Be fearless in taking actions to fulfil your purpose and values.

““It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of

deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by

dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is

no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends

himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the

worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid

souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.”- Theodore Roosevelt

There are three inevitable price of leadership that exists.

1. The pain of wrongdoing

2. The pain of making mistakes

3. The pain of suffering rejection



Leadership is evolved experiencing and overcoming the crucible experiences [Ref 9] or defining moments in

life. Such experience makes clarity or defines the hierarchy of our ‘core values’ for us. Fortunately, not all crucible

experiences are traumatic. In fact, they can involve a positive, if deeply challenging, experience such as having a

demanding boss or mentor- coach.

Four abilities that makes a great leader with fourth being the most Critical. [Ref 9]

1. Ability to engage others in shared meaning: Creating common context for people.

2. A Distinctive and compelling voice: Command of language to transform.

3. The Sense of integrity, including a strong set of core values.

4. Adaptive capacity- The ability to grasp context, and hardiness.

o Ability to grasp context: This is the ability to weigh a welter of factors, ranging from how very

different groups of people will interpret a gesture to being able to put a situation in perspective

o Hardiness is the perseverance and toughness that enable people to emerge from devastating

circumstances without losing hope.

Declaration of your purpose need exploratory techniques such as attending Large Group Awareness Trainings

(LGAT), YOGA, deep introspection (self- coaching) and getting coached and coaching others. What has worked

for me is a combination of all these.

Once you identify your values and declared your purpose, next step is to identify alignment with the values of your

organization to get mutually benefitted. Self- Assess this commonly aligned values by evaluating actions taken on

a frequent basis to create organizational leadership for you.

Creating leaders through coaching in most part is making this alignment happen for your coached team.

Step 4: Leaving a Legacy- Share your work!

Create or use all platforms to share and enrol people in to what your work is about. This step is about leaving your

legacy through your work within and out of your organizations. Create your CULT following.

This step involves sharing your experiences and develop your abilities on storytelling on effectively conveying the

message to create a social impact.

Law of Social Impact : Social Impact = f(SIN)

Strength

Immediacy

Number of sources

To create social impact, you may use technologies such as social media, Conferences, Special interest groups-

Meet ups and other means. Leadership is in effect creating followers through altering your language and actions.

The largest developmental impact a leader can create is raising the positive beliefs of followers, instilling in them

the conviction that they were better at a performance task than they thought.

“Building and sustaining momentum for change requires large amounts of positive affect and social bonding—

things like hope, excitement, inspiration, caring, camaraderie, sense of urgent purpose, and sheer joy in creating



something meaningful together. We find that the more positive the question we ask, the more long-lasting and

successful the change effort. The major thing a change agent leader can do that makes a difference is to craft and

ask unconditional positive questions.” - Cooperrider & Whitney

CONCLUSION

Application of the content and the context mentioned here is derived from experiences of driving multiple cross

location cross cultural transformation initiatives over a period of time, some of which were failures and some are on

–going and successful. There are significant self- learning and external to work experiences that has contributed in

developing this work. Application of all of the techniques were not done at once, but over a period of time through

experimentation.

To summarize:

“The process of becoming a leader is much the same as the process of becoming an integrated human being. For

the leader, as for any integrated person, life itself is the career.”- Warren Bennis.

• Step 1: Introspection- Get coached / Learn to apply Appreciative inquiry, Janusian thinking and

Transcendal charisma.

• Step 2: Coaching for Developing leadership – Create your framework and plan for coaching and apply

coaching process.

• Step 3: Being a leader in action- Identify, declare and live by your purpose and values.

• Step 4: Leave your legacy by sharing your work and purpose to create followers.

REFERENCES

References: [1] https://hbr.org/2013/04/in-the-company-of-givers-and-takers Adam Grant [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transformational_leadership [3] http://www.leadershiptransformationgroup.com/LTGcampus/resources/leadershipfromwithin.pdf [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_levels_of_leadership_model James Scouller

[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appreciative_inquiry / https://appreciativeinquiry.champlain.edu/learn/appreciative-inquiry-introduction/ David Cooperrider

[6] Psychology of Leadership- Course 1508 – Harvard Business School- Tal Ben Shahar

[7] https://www.coachfederation.org/credential/landing.cfm?ItemNumber=2206&navItemNumber=576 ICF Core competencies

[8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GROW_model GROW Model

[9] https://hbr.org/2002/09/crucibles-of-leadership Warren Bennis

https://hbr.org/2013/04/in-the-company-of-givers-and-takers

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transformational_leadership

http://www.leadershiptransformationgroup.com/LTGcampus/resources/leadershipfromwithin.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_levels_of_leadership_model

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appreciative_inquiry%20/

https://appreciativeinquiry.champlain.edu/learn/appreciative-inquiry-introduction/

https://appreciativeinquiry.champlain.edu/learn/appreciative-inquiry-introduction/

http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k14803&pageid=icb.page69237

https://www.coachfederation.org/credential/landing.cfm?ItemNumber=2206&navItemNumber=576

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GROW_model

https://hbr.org/2002/09/crucibles-of-leadership

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