Transmodern Leadership
The postmodern leader got on a loudspeaker to sell his dream. He studied persuasion and carefully edited every word to woo his audience into action. He sought awards and recognition to measure his success. He set KPIs and utilized systems to hold his team accountable. He focused on goals and asked questions designed to change others. The postmodern leader was yesterday’s leader. His form of leadership is slowly dying, and with it, a new era is arising.
We are the recipients of systems, mental patterns, and social constructs that have been formed and passed down through governments, laws, corporations, religions, educational systems, and more; but now? We are awakening to the baggage; the oversight, the fear, the fault, the focus on as well as the ignoring of problems; and in our awakening? A new social fabric is weaving.
As a species, we’re experiencing a shift in social context. Our dissolution of mental borders is urging us to seek a restorative path. Immediately we are tasked with redefining the way we are brought together, the way we serve, and the way we lead. Postmodern leaders were trained to produce stories to drive the narrative of their community, but a new era of leadership is forming, I call this new era of leadership the birth of the “transmodern leader.”
Transmodern leaders are trained to produce engagement. We view engagement as an art, and understand that the structure of our interactions is as critical as the issues we’re coming together to discuss. Where postmodern leaders rallied teams and assigned accountability. Transmodern leaders invite people to gather and provide opportunities for self-proclaimed accountability, commitment, and the discovery of one’s own sense of belonging.
Leadership has evolved from a position of taking space to one of holding space and paying attention. Transmodern leaders create a culture of shared ownership. We view engagement as an opportunity to create depth and responsibility. We focus on the quality of our questions as opposed to the articulation of our beliefs. We ask questions like, “What can we create together? Which gifts in our community have yet to be shared?” Instead of driving our own personal vision forward, transmodern leaders develop a communal perspective by initiating quality conversations, and in doing so we create an aura of communal possibility.
Transmodern leaders are social architects. We welcome strangers and construct opportunities to acknowledge their gifts. We tactfully amplify the gifts of all the individuals in our community in both large audiences and small groups. We create an environment of abundance. Transmodern leaders invite value driven conversations to their community gatherings. We invite conversations that reflect and/or create: honesty, transparency, courage, kindness, empathy, curiosity, possibility, consent, trust, respect, accountability, ownership, commitment, generosity, strength, and the recognition of gifts. With these values in mind, we drive forward the development of a healthy internal conversation, the foundation of our community and culture.
“A leader is someone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes and who also has the courage to develop that potential.” - Brene Brown
Transmodern leaders value life before systems. Our actions inspire a sense of trust and belonging. Our conversations open possibilities and never outcast opposition. In fact, we embrace opposition and make sure opposing feelings are given space to be heard and understood by all. When an empowering statement is expressed, a transmodern leader will ask the speaker to repeat their statement. We do this to empower and acknowledge each other’s perspectives. We even go as far as to point out the gifts found in multiple perspectives. In the digital space, amplifying a gift can be as simple as sharing a post.
There are more opportunities than ever for you to express yourself as a transmodern leader. You hold the power to open a new realm of possibilities in your community. You can guide your community to take ownership of their impact by exercising your ability to listen. Pay attention to the power of all words, the power of voice, and the courage of those who wish to be heard. Please commit to healing unstable and fragmented cultures by asking regenerative questions. What are your gifts? What gifts have you not shared? What do you plan to receive? What can we accomplish by working together? What can we learn from this experience? Join forces and together we will create the world you wish to be in.