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How to Identify Transformational Leadership: 25 Characteristicsby Roger Ganzel for Transforming Church.com e-News

PRIMARY CHARACTERISTICS1. Transformational leaders have a passion for the unchurched.

2. Transformational leadership is more an attitude than it is aleadership style.

3. The mission of transformational leaders is to turn church membersinto disciples of Jesus, who make other disciples of Jesus to move

from being a caretaker parish to being a mission outpost.4. Transformational leaders desire more than they can accomplish,insisting that some things have to be believed to be seen. They

maintain that vision is the art of seeing things invisible and that visionis ongoing, not something that can be completed in a lifetime.5. Knowing that DNA defines an organism and is in every cell,transformational leaders are not content until the churchs DNA

becomes unambiguously missional.6. Transformational leaders are about building trust and giving

permission.7. Transformational leaders are self-differentiated. They are not afraid

to say, "I am your servant for Jesus sake, but you are not my master."8. Transformational leaders manifest a genuine and persistent

compassion for those who dont know the peace and joy of life withGod. Outreach with that embracive goal reflects great diversity.

9. Transformational leaders decentralize decision-making so that those

closest to a particular ministry are the ones empowered to makedecisions that fit intrinsically into the congregations mission and vision.

10. Transformational leaders, like Jesus, spend a lot of time with a coregroup who are ready and willing to go and make disciples who make

disciples.

11. Transformational leaders repeatedly cast vision for work to build ahealthy church that almost inevitably becomes a growing church.Approximately 80% of a pastor's time should be spent casting vision as

they go about their ministry..12. A large majority of transformational leaders act as player coaches.

They do not pretend to be a coach that sits on the sidelines and sendsin the plays and players.

13. Effective transformational leaders align everything and everyonewith the vision and the leverage point.

14. Leaders who anticipate the Holy Spirits transformation realize thatall such growth starts with them. They either become a catalyst for

change or grow to be content with the status quo. Upwards to 85% of

ELCA parish clergy unfortunately seem to settle for the latter.

SECONDARY CHARACTERISTICS1. Transformational leaders do not settle for survival goals. Instead

they recognize that the key to survival issues in the parish is an ability

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to foster and build positive, affirming interpersonal relationships.

2. Transformational leaders are committed to proactive ministry thatfocuses on opportunities rather than responding to problems.

3. Transformational leaders are opportunists who recognize when thekairos time has come for select actions.

4. Transformational leaders know that another of the worst obstaclesto growth is present satisfaction with the way things are. A complacent

church is generally farther from being an agent for transformation thanone with a sense of desperation or in an acknowledged crisis.

5. Transformational leaders believe that the fewer people we can havemaking guidance decisions the better. Congregations governed by

consensus dont grow. In any effective team, but surely in the bestleadership teams, a leader among leaders emerges. That person

becomes the primary visionary for that team. The pastor becomes thekeeper of the vision for the congregation.

6. In every effective, growing missional congregation, thetransformational pastor, as chief spiritual leader, has to be the keeperof the vision. She/he bears the deepest responsibility to discern the

direction of the Holy Spirit.

7. Transformational leaders sense that starting another worship servicetargeted to the unchurched may be the most important decision achurch can make to grow. Such a service will feature music that is

indigenous and easy to sing, visuals, drama, and other engagingcommunications. Music is clearly the global language in todays

American mission field. To be appreciated today is that the fad ofcontemporary praise services is starting to fade out. Next to finding the

right transformational pastor, finding the right chief musician is themost important staffing decision.

8. Transformational leaders love the Church! Such love may or may notinclude the denomination.

9. Neither Ordination nor Installation create a transformational leader.The making, calling, and empowering of transformational leadership isthe work of the Holy Spirit. One's calling is anchored in their baptism.10. Transformational leaders know that transformed adults of any age,not youth, are the future of their congregation. Adults who are

changed, gifted, called, and equipped will take care of everything else.Trained youth do, of course, help lead the church.

11. Transformational leaders know that congregational insiders areoften least likely to discern vision. People on the fringe of church life

are typically better able to identify what is needed. Transformational

leaders consult with them regularly.