CHARACTERISTICS OF A TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER
Transformational leadership holds the key to growing great leaders for our military and our nation. Yesterday we looked at two attributes of these leaders, charisma and inspiration. Today we will look at the other two key components of this leadership style.
Transformational leaders are individually considerate. They provide their followers with support and focus on individual needs. These leaders recognize that each subordinate is unique and requires individual attention to develop into a mature leader. The leader takes on the role of a mentor and a coach. How do they accomplish this?
• FIND THE INDIVIDUAL’S STRENGTHS AND MAXIMIZE THEM
• KNOW THEIR WEAK POINTS AND STRENGTHEN THEM
• SEE EACH INDIVIDUAL AS UNIQUE, HAVING VALUE THAT CAN BE UTILIZED FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS
Jesus found value in every person. He often focused on the weaker, less gifted in the crowd. Even those who were rejected by the crowd held value in his eyes. He empowered them to see that value and bless others.
Transformational leaders are intellectually stimulating. They are able to expand the follower’s use of their own abilities. They find ways to stimulate their efforts to be innovative and creative. Whether by providing opportunity or challenge, their subordinates grow in their abilities and confidence. The following suggestions may help in this regard:
Applaud creativity. Those who are able to cast a problem in a new light and re-frame circumstance to provide new perspective are truly creative.
Ensure followers are included in the process. The leader is not always the answer provider. True leaders draw the answers out from their subordinates. A follower that feels they are apart of the solution is truly enabled.
Restrict public criticism of mistakes or ideas. This not only works against the individual but the team as well. Criticize and correct in private.
Jesus’ teaching was strong and demanding but he fostered a gentile approach to his disciples. He was approachable, and they identified with him.
In conclusion, to become a transformational leader, you must be willing to change your thinking. You must be willing to change your behavior. You must be willing to change your model. Christ is the great agent of change. Not only can he make us new creatures, he can give us a new disposition.
Dear God, please make me like the prophet Joel, turning my heart toward you, confessing and repenting of any known sins, and seeking to follow you wholeheartedly. By the power of Jesus within me, please help me to seek a positive example for others to imitate.
“Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.” (Joel 2:13)
November 11
DO WHAT IS RIGHT
Brig. General (ret) Paul Casinelli, MD
My experience starts as a sense of duty. General Robert E. Lee said, “Duty is the most sublime word in our language. Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more. You should never wish to do less.” Andrew Jackson stated, “The brave man inattentive to his duty is worth little more to his country than the coward who deserts her in the hour of danger.”
We have a duty to God our Creator to do what is right. If you believe in both the sovereignty and the providence of God, then he has you placed in positions and during times where you can see what that duty is. He opens your eyes so you can see what you need to do. It is one reason that I volunteered in the first place. It was very obvious to me that he had a very specific path for me to follow. My original reason for joining the guard was so that if I deploy I would be going with my hometown unit. I just didn’t know my hometown unit would be in Mississippi.
I started on the ground floor, setting up the unit’s medical section incorporating my experiences from Desert Storm and Kosovo. I helped develop their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The commander, Colonel Brad McNealy, was outstanding. He was very supportive and simply told me to take care of his troops. The men and women of the 185th were professional citizen-soldiers. It was a great team to be a part of. The 185th Aviation Group was a great unit that shared my sense of duty.
Please strengthen my sense of duty to fear you, keep your commandments, and fulfill the duties you have called me to fulfill.
“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
November 12
FLYING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OTHERS
I flew over 190 combat hours during my deployment to Iraq. Besides the fact that flying is the fun part about being a flight surgeon, it is a requirement of the job. The physicals and sick call fill most days, but flying it’s what you love to do. It was exhilarating. Flying fifty feet above ground at 140 knots with the doors open was an experience of a lifetime and one very few people have the privilege of experiencing.
I did not, however, fly in combat for the fun. Being the flight surgeon I was one of the sets of the eyes and ears of the commander. My job is to see, feel, and report on the stress experienced by the crews. The only way that I can know that is to be familiar with the stresses they experiencing by flying with them. I have to be on the internal communications system (ICS) so I can hear them communicate. There are also duties associated with flying as crew. I am an extra set of eyes looking for the enemy. I am an integral part of the crew when I fly.
After a while when they get used to me being on the flight, they start talking to each other about certain things, but I understand they are not just talking about things to one another. They are communicating things to me because they know I’m listening. They might say the flying schedule is too grueling. Things they would not come to me and say. But they will know I’m listening. The chow hall doesn’t have a midnight ration. The way the flights are scheduled and the challenge scheduled we just missed supper. I can bring those things right to the commander. And that’s something he can do something about.
My friends would ask why I flew so much. I didn’t fly because it was fun. I flew because it was a part of my duty. War does not have workweeks and weekends. We push soldiers to the limit. We have to make sure that they are not driven to go too far. Taking care of our soldiers is a part of waging war. It is a part of good leadership.
