Your worldview plays a part in how you view everything. I wasn’t sure what a worldview was until I was in grad school.
In its most basic terms, your worldview is the underlying belief or philosophy of how you view society and individuals.
If you believe that people have intrinsic value, you will treat them as such. If you believe people are a means to an end, then odds are your people will not stick around for the long haul.
Two Leadership Worldviews
There are various leadership styles that are named today that give shape to certain leadership activities. As I look at those styles of leadership (authoritative, democratic, participatory, authentic, servant leadership, etc.), they all go back to two leadership worldviews.
Do you view leadership as a transaction or an act that helps to transform others to be their best self?
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
Transactional Leadership
Transactional leadership focuses on the transaction that takes place between a leader/boss and an employee. If you complete this task as an employee, you are going to get paid this much. It is a transaction.
This type of leader is concerned with short term goals and believe it is all about completing the task at hand.
Transformational Leadership
Transformation leadership focuses on the person and views the leader/follower relationship as dynamic. It is more than the task at hand, although that is important as well. You help to develop your followers to become leaders. You inspire them to action by empowering them.
This type of leader is concerned with the development of their staff.
The worldview you ascribe to will affect how you lead. How you lead affects the success of the organization.
If someone were to ask you how you view leadership, which worldview would describe you?
Stephanie German is a leadership coach and consultant, author, and adjunct professor. She holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership and loves giving back to her community in a variety of ways. When she’s not coaching clients or writing about leadership, Stephanie is usually headed to the mountains or the beach with her family, drinking savory wine, or working on the latest project with her husband. Stephanie’s greatest desires are to raise up the next generation of leaders while raising her own children to be strong, independent, and brave. She lives in Fresno, California with her husband Blake and her three spunky daughters, Cara, Kinsey, and Peyton. She is the best-selling author of So Your Boss Can’t Lead?