Throughout history, people have searched for various types of leadership styles that would best serve others. Some have banked on democratic, authoritative or Laissez-faire (“hands-off”) styles to lead their groups. One particular leadership style that has been around for thousands of years and is only now receiving attention in health care and other industries, is transcendent leadership.
What is Transcendent Leadership?
True leadership is not about wanting to become a leader, because it is granted to someone who has a strong and positive impact on others. People will see you as a leader because they see something that you can do that other people cannot or will not do. A transcendent leader possesses desire and passion to serve that leads outward.
The Sum is Greater Than Its Parts
The greatest forms of leadership are not so much about specific skills, charismatic qualities or competence in various areas. While these ingredients are important, it is the sum of the person which produces a very high level of transcendent leadership. This involves the whole person – all unique aspects of their identity and personality.
Characteristics of Transcendent Leaders
The word transcendent means to go above and beyond what most people do or experience. It reaches beyond the normal and surpasses what is considered ordinary. It means to be exceptional and is characterized by:
- Transcending one’s own self-interests
- A strong desire to serve others in significant and meaningful ways
- Being purpose-centered, internally driven and other-oriented
- Transparency in one’s mission or goals
Transcendent Leadership is a State of Being
Transcendent leadership is more of a state of being than anything else. This state is so powerful that it changes the dynamics and relationships between leaders and followers. People become transformed, motivated, devoted and dedicated to transcendent leaders. They share one vision, mission, purpose and direction.
Becoming a Transcendent Leader and Wholeness of Self
Knowing about this style of leadership is one thing. Becoming more transcendent in your leadership is another. Scholars who study this type of leadership argue that one of the fundamental pursuits in becoming a transcendent leader is to foster wholeness of self. This involves working on five important components of the self:
- The Spiritual Self represents the core of your identity. It’s a place where you derive your sense of meaning, connectedness to others and a deep motivation to serve. It isn’t necessarily religious, but instead involves a deep yearning for meaning.
- The Physical Self is important because a healthy leader requires a healthy body to carry out serving others. Being a great leader isn’t easy and there will be difficult and stressful times where one’s physical health will serve them well.
- The Mental Self involves your intelligence, understanding and problem-solving skills. It involves being able to identify problems and to seek viable solutions with the help of others. The mental self requires multiple intelligences including technical, conceptual and relational.
- The Emotional Self relies on your emotional intelligence or the ability to manage your emotions and understand those of others. This may be the most challenging aspect of transcendent leadership because we all have deeply rooted emotional responses that can be difficult to change.
- The-Extra-Personal Self is the sum of all of these qualities. Your extra-personal self is larger than you and consists of your relationships with others, your reputation, and ultimately your legacy. It relies on how others see you, who you will be after you’re gone, and how you will live on in the lives and memories of others.
Final Thoughts on Transcendent Leadership
Anything that’s worth doing well takes time, patience and practice. This is definitely the case with transcendent leadership, but in the end, the benefits will far outweigh the costs. Take time to work on your spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional selves with the goal of becoming bigger than yourself. Be patient. Greatness rarely comes overnight. And practice in a genuine and transparent way, allowing others to know that you are on the path to something great in your life.