Books,  Leadership and Faith

Reframing Leadership

Looking from different angles

As I was saying yesterday, the organisation I work with, Fusion, is on a journey to name what is needed in leadership.

About a week ago I mentioned the passage from 1 Peter that I have been challenged by since discovering it about 15 years ago:

1 Peter 5:2-3 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

This passage makes it clear that servant leadership is the only way, but how do you do that?

One of the more helpful books I have read about leadership is one we studied in the Advanced Diploma called”Reframing Organisations” by Lee G. Bolman and  Terrence E. Deal. You can find a summary of the book here.

Basically the book is saying that we probably all see Leadership differently, however there are four general windows that most leadership approaches can be grouped into.  The book looks at these four key “frames” for  leadership, and highlights that many if not most people are stronger in one or two and weaker in the others.

The thesis of the book is that an effective leader needs to be able to see the world from different “frames” and not just be stuck in one or the other.

The four frames he identifies are :

  • Symbolic: a focus on, story, meaning and purpose
  • H.R.: a focus on what motivates/de-motivates individuals
  • Structural: a focus on policy, structure and systems
  • Political: a focus on alliances, agendas and power relationships

It has been very helpful for me to realise that those who see things more from a Structural perspective are less likely to see the questions of a symbolic nature, or those who are more geared to People may not be so great with politics.

More than that, someone who strongly sees the world through one window might look at the work of someone who is coming from another and not even see it clearly, and start talking about a “leadership vacuum”.

The understanding behind “Reframing” is that leaders need to intentionally develop the skill in operating from all of the frames and not just one or two.

The greatest leader who every lived, Jesus, was able to operate from all four frames:

  1. He understood deeply peoples motivation
  2. He could read and not be trapped by the political games of the Pharisees
  3. He created structures so his disciples could remember what was important after he had gone, (The Lords Prayer, Communion etc)
  4. He constantly re-framed the meaning of life symbolically.

It has been a helpful insight for me that there is more than one way to look at leadership, and that the job of an effective leader is to develop the skill to operate from all the frames and not just the ones they are strongest in.

I don’t know how possible that is, but it has certainly been very useful for me to refer to the book when it feels like people might be speaking a different language.

“Re-Framing Organisations” highlights the truth that leadership is a very multi-faceted function.

Chances are the more any one person is convinced of how they see the world, the more they are likely to be coming from one “window” or “frame” and missing the others.

I love the challenge of Leadership!

One Comment

  • sheryle schmode

    I love the statement – I love the challenge of leadership I wouldn’t be where I am today if I didn’t have the challenge of leadership. It is shaping me to be the person I am helping me stop and reflect on how I see myself.

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