Radical Transformational Leadership by Monica Sharma

Author:Monica Sharma
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781583948965
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
Published: 2017-10-05T04:00:00+00:00

Transforming Systems and Cultural Norms

Transformational leadership is about BEING principled game changers, not simply problem solvers. These leaders deal with what is not working by creating alternatives. Transformational leaders not only solve complex societal problems at a surface level but also proactively address the deeper dimensions of the problem. They show that it is possible to design, plan, and implement programs differently to generate transformational results.

Jerry White shares the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. Jerry lost his leg to a landmine while hiking through an unmarked minefield in the Golan Heights, Israel, when he was twenty. He says he never thought much about landmines until he stepped on one in 1984. “Suddenly the earth exploded around me. I looked down at my shredded bloody legs in confused horror, wanting to know where my right foot had gone.” Since then he has dedicated his life to building resilience in individuals and communities affected by violent conflict.

Landmines made and planted in the thousands by humans continue to kill innocent people every day, 80 percent of whom are civilians. It is estimated that ten people still die every day from landmine explosions; in 1999 it was twenty-five deaths a day.42

Jerry wanted to launch the Mine-Free Israel Campaign in 2004. He now reflects that this was a personal crusade to make Israel mine-free, and “crusader” energy, when it produces action, whether medieval or modern in its manifestation, never ends well. Advocating for banning landmines, he recounted his personal experiences, spoke regularly about how Israel was a decade behind in banning landmines, and said he was ready to help. Princess Diana was a champion for this cause. With his connections, credentials as a Nobel Laureate, personal experiences, and knowledge to get the job done, Jerry surmised that Israel would get to action. It did not work!

Jerry shares that until he participated in the leadership workshop at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, he did not have the vocabulary or tools to know how to “tap into the power of wisdom.” I designed and delivered this course with Leo Burke, a professor at the Mendoza College of Business. We invited the executives to delve deeper: Who are you and what do you stand for as a leader? What does large-scale systems change and global interdependence imply? Finding grace in a competitive world and understanding interdependence is vital. Most executive education programs render leadership as a skill set with a toolbox. But Leo and I brought in new ways of addressing complexity, simply—and with a foundation of universal values, weaving these into new ways to address practical issues faced by the executives.

Jerry says, “Wisdom, though essential, is too often missing in modern leadership. Leading from the soul of our deepest awareness and core values will tap into transformative power to deliver lasting results. Reaching deeper to know my own leadership DNA—my wisdom—was extremely helpful during the leadership program.” He returned to Israel in 2009 to relaunch the

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