Putting Baltimore Back Together Prt. III - Wanted Transformational Leadership

Putting Baltimore City Back Together Again

Wanted: Transformational Leaders – Part III

Matthews W. Wright, M. Ed.

First, I know that a good deal of time has been spent lately by many observing public safety, political, religious, legal and visual media leadership and one simple thing we need to understand is that there are attributes which endow the qualities of leadership.  They are naturally inherent and within all of us! Of course there are leadership variances and theoretical perspectives allowing for a broad array of methods including Visionary Leadership, Leaders vs. Managers, Non Leadership, Contingency Model Leadership, Situational Leadership and many others. The leadership theory I am most interested in promoting to “Put Baltimore Back Together” is Transformational Leadership.  The reasons are modest because this manner of leadership is described not as a set of specific behaviors but rather a process by which "leaders and followers raise one another to higher levels of morality and motivation". Other researchers have described Transformational Leadership as going beyond individual needs, focusing on a common purpose, addressing intrinsic rewards and higher psychological needs such as self-actualization, and developing commitment with and in the followers.

Now, it is very important to understand that Transformational Leadership requires a basic awareness of intuitive skills. Intuition is not rare it is common to each of us.  We simply need to recognize its existence and use it to chart our journey in mastering our will.  Our current materialistic addictions have dulled our senses similar to our ability to taste when we have eaten poorly for years and no longer have full access to our sense of taste to have the discerning ability to know truly what is good taste.  Conditioning is necessary to once again reap the benefits of our intuitive nature.  Intuition is key to gaining the required knowledge needed to assume our portion of leadership. When you think of intuition first know that it charges nothing for its use; it is always there ready, willing and able to provide insight, options and previous knowledge. Our ancestors called it “Mother Wit”, common knowledge or sense.  Every situation doesn’t require a college degree to figure it out!  There are five key points to consider that will assist the leader in striking a balance with the use of instinctive knowledge.  Know that:

1. Everything begins and ends with you.
2. You can do badly by yourself; you do not need outside help.
3. You don’t look to others for answers when you haven’t first questioned yourself.
4. If you didn’t learn the lesson the first time, don’t worry – you will see it again.
5. As bad as things may presently look, lack of action on your part will make them worse.

Transformational Leadership requires a “Call to Duty” with an enlightened sense of intuition. The process may simply begin when a “light bulb” moment occurs allowing us to recognize the value of an observation, the need for consistency, and the desire for a collaborative existence.  This transformation takes place in people and institutions.

Your skills-set may seem complete to you at this point.  However, the commitment and desire for true transformation goes beyond isolated incidences and flashes of light and brilliance.  A transformed person is permanently impacted by the experience of the event and is forever guided by the knowledge and the power conferred by forces beyond this earthly sphere.

Once you have consciously acknowledged your Call to Duty, it will be your responsibility to offer your – “Best Performance of Duty”!  So what is duty and how do we recognize that which is ours?  Each of us has the capacity to recognize the absence of moral underpinnings, callous attitudes and indifferent treatment expressed in the actions of misdirected human beings and their basic inability to act humane.

The transformed and empowered person now senses the need for and the involvement of their Will and Determination to complete the process. Will must be applied to intuition to act on the various issues that present themselves.  It is the inner fortitude that must well up within us to perform tasks.  It is an energy that is generated through our ability and intent to commit to an assignment to its completion. Transformation is completed through the determination of the person not allowing their emotions, biases and “isms” to run rampant and uncontrolled like unsupervised children. The transformed person will not stoop to acts or enticements that single them out from the group but will take the higher ground that sustains the energy of the group to successfully complete the designated campaign.

Today we are in dire need of transformed people.  Families, communities, societies, institutions and corporations all require transformed leadership.  Yes, there is a good amount of work to do, but there never is more work than available people to do it.  We simply just need to transform and in doing so provide the necessary resources and personal support to assist the needed change to take place.  Are you prepared to answer and properly execute the call?