Strategy, Leadership and the Soul
Strategy, Leadership and the Soul presents a new paradigm for organizations. In building their case, the authors present a unique analysis of the dynamics of organizational evolution since 1850 to the present day, reflecting on how the context of the changing nature of society over time has informed the necessary adjustments in structure and leadership, and in what way these have been vital to the sustainability of those organizations. The current quixotic context for both small and large organizations – the rapidly changing business landscapes, global interconnectedness, technological innovation and the diversity of the needs of customers and employees alike – requires organizations to ‘be in a state of permanent transformation if they are to survive’, to become transorganizations.
“Leadership in today’s world is less about having all the answers and more about the courage to navigate uncertainty. Complexity isn’t something to fear; it’s a call to adapt, connect, and collaborate. Leaders must create spaces where people feel safe to explore, innovate, and fail forward. The strength of a leader lies in their ability to bring clarity and coherence amidst the chaos.”
~Jennifer Sertl
And in order for these transorganizations to survive, a new style of leader is required – a transleader. From their experience as consultants, the authors conclude that transleaders must transform themselves first rather than look to the outside for a solution.
The soul of an organization is the intrinsic corporate identity that underlies all that it does, that informs its business practices, its aims and goals, its internal and external relationships and its intangible sense of direction-shared in an aligned way between its employees, its managers, its shareholders and its business partners. It is the extremely present and powerful set of beliefs that make the organization what it is. This is not the same as superficial PR or the ‘image’ on advertisements, nor is it just brand identity or corporate culture, but the identity that defines and aligns the relationship it has within the various sectors of the organization and in its interface with the global community.
The qualities needed for this leadership style are:
The ability to communicate with passion and clarity
To develop a shared language that can transform the thinking of everyone working in or with the organization
To inspire self-confidence and knowledge to strengthen teams
To share power, and give greater control to the workforce to behave like mentors rather than bosses
To welcome diversity
To have an exceptional level of self-awareness
To be able to transcend culture, age, and title as a means to arrive at what is relevant