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Tool: Transformational Thinking and Acting

What are the critical thinking capacities of a healthy Christian leader?

Malcolm Webber

Many writers on leadership (ourselves included) have appropriately focused on the leader’s many and varied outward actions, such as communication, leading change, team-building, conflict management, collaboration, delegation, building leaders, and so forth. 
 
While it is vital to give attention to the content of thinking (what we think), we must also attend to the processes of thinking (how we think). This model of transformational thinking focuses instead on the inward life of the leader – how he thinks – the fountainhead of his actions.
 
This tool identifies:
 
    • 10 general thinking habits of a healthy Christian leader
    • 6 leadership thinking habits that lead to specific actions
    • 14 essential acting habits of a healthy Christian leader
 

Thinking:

These are general thinking habits – the underlying broad thinking capacities.

    1. Looking at God (Christ)
    2. Passion for the highest (Calling)
    3. Love of learning (Calling; Competencies)
    4. Learning from mistakes (Competencies)
    5. Thinking about thinking; Evaluation (Calling; Competencies)
    6. Embracing ambiguity (Competencies)
    7. Thinking interdependently (Community)
    8. Engaging deeply (Calling)
    9. Integrating Science (critical thinking) and Art (creativity) (Competencies)
    10. Thinking holistically (Competencies)

Leadership Thinking:

The general thinking habits then lead to specific actions.

    1. Embracing responsibility (Character; Calling)
    2. Taking initiative (Calling)
    3. Strategizing (Competencies)
    4. Decision making (Competencies)
    5. Solving problems (Competencies)
    6. Interpreting the Word (Competencies)

Acting:

The thinking habits transition into action. They start to be applied in particular leadership ways. 

    1. Defining and casting vision (Calling)
    2. Shaping culture (Competencies)
    3. Leading change (Calling; Competencies)
    4. Building leaders; Equipping; Empowering (Competencies)
    5. Building teams/communities (Competencies)
    6. Making structure and systems; Organizing and planning (Competencies)
    7. Managing (Competencies)
    8. Communicating; Listening (Competencies)
    9. Negotiating (Competencies)
    10. Dealing with conflict (Community)
    11. Networking (Competencies)
    12. Leading meetings ‒ both work and spiritual (Competencies)
    13. Teaching the Word (Competencies)
    14. Christian ministry work (Competencies)


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Related Resources

Transformational Thinking ‒ Part 1
A Learning Design for Critical Thinking
A Learning Design for Thinking Creatively

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