Creating transforming leadership for organizational change: the CogniScope System approach

Abstract

AbstractTo prepare for post‐industrial leadership in the twenty‐first century, we must transcend the circular journey of leadership studies of the twentieth century which is rooted in the industrial paradigm of organizations. The post‐industrial era of knowledge workers requires a group‐based, interactive framework of leadership. Based on the works of Burns (1978) and Rost (1991), the authors propose a definition of transforming leadership discovered through their systems design work. Three principles of transforming leadership are identified through the application of the CogniScope System. From 200 applications of the CogniScope System in various organizations, the phenomenon of transforming leadership has emerged as an important possibility. Observations from multiple applications of the CogniScope System have led to the codification of three principles that fit the context, content, and process of systems design work. The three principles are illustrated through excerpts of a case study. Using the case study, the authors identify specific events or group products to validate the claim that transforming leadership did occur. The authors identify a need for research by other emancipatory systems thinking methodologies to further our understanding of transforming leadership. The authors speculate on the emergence of transforming leaders/managers in new organizational structures that will support transforming leadership. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.