The Seven Transformations of Leadership

In a landmark 2005 article David Rooke and Bill Torbert outlined leadership stages as defined by the Leadership Development Framework. The framework is a list of the seven action logics and their characteristics. The action logics correspond to the Interkannections system in the following manner:

(X) Opportunist: Wins any way possible. Self-oriented; manipulative; “might makes right.”

(G) Diplomat: Avoids conflict. Wants to belong; obeys group norms; doesn’t rock the boat.

(I)  Expert: Rules by logic and expertise. Uses hard data and force of opinion to gain consensus and buy-in.

(T) Achiever: Meets strategic goals. Promotes teamwork; juggles managerial duties and responds creatively to market demands to achieve goals.

(H) Individualist: Operates in unconventional ways. Ignores rules he/she regards as irrelevant. Recognizes value and is inclusive of multiple perspectives.

(A) Strategist: Generates organizational and personal change. Highly collaborative; weaves visions with pragmatic, timely initiatives; challenges existing assumptions.

(U) Alchemist: Generates social transformations (e.g., Nelson Mandela). Reinvent themselves, organizations and communities in historically significant ways.

These are stages of development world leaders and the guy and gal down the street pass through. For a great description of these stages in action in a business context I strongly suggest you download The Seven Transformations of Leadership from the Harvard Business Review website.

Check back for more on leadership stages soon!

Tags: capacity evolution, I-shaped people, leadership, leadership stages, leadership transformation, t-shaped people