Most successful organizations have gone through a number of phases and changes in their existence. I have been privileged to see documentaries of some organizations that have existed for more than 100 years and more. What is common to these organizations is embedded in embracing change as times and occasions demand in the continued existence and operations of such organizations. Today, I want to share with us: Paradigm Shift in Contemporary Organizational Leadership and under this title, we want to raise a vital question and the question is: What Posture Should the Leader Assume?
Listen to Podcast: Paradigm Shift in Contemporary Organizational Leadership
But before we go into the details of answering the question, it is important that we understand what we mean by paradigm shift. A paradigm shift talks about an important change that happens when the usual way of thinking about something or doing something within an organization is replaced by a new and different way. In other words, it means there had been an old way of thinking or doing something within an organization and this old way of thinking or doing something is disrupted by a new means of doing the same thing, this is what is known as a paradigm shift.
As you and I have known that effective organizations don’t remain on the same spot forever. One way to know a progressive organization is through progressive ways of thinking and doing things. The challenge most organizations face at this point of shift or change is reflected in leaders and followers who love to stick with the status quo and do not want any progressive change. An example is found in the book of Jeremiah 6:16-19, the Bible says:
Thus says the Lord:
“Stand in the ways and see,
And ask for the old paths, where the good way is,
And walk in it;
Then you will find rest for your souls.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
17 Also, I set watchmen over you, saying,
‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’
But they said, ‘We will not listen.’
18 Therefore hear, you nations,
And know, O congregation, what is among them.
19 Hear, O earth!
Behold, I will certainly bring calamity on this people—
The fruit of their thoughts,
Because they have not heeded My words
Nor My law, but rejected it.
Now, what can we imply from these words of God through Jeremiah? Anyone within the organization who refuses to flow with the shift within the organization would drag such organizations down. It is as simple as that. When change is beckoning within an organization and people would rather resist the change instead of embracing it, and would stick to their regular ways of doing things, then such people would constitute a clog in the wheel of progress of such organizations. And so, what should be the disposition of the leader to a paradigm shift, because the disposition of the leader would ultimately influence the disposition of the followers as well and this is why the focus is on the leader.
Here are two things to consider:
#1. The leader must not be found resisting the change but embracing it, no matter how strange or difficult it is to adopt. As a matter of fact, leaders are supposed to be change agents and not change resistors. The moment a leader is resisting a change, such a leader is already sending a wrong signal to the followers already. In Deuteronomy 31:1-8, this account shows us vividly what a paradigm shift is and the disposition of one leader called Joshua, to that shift. The Bible says:
“Then Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel. 2 And he said to them: “I am one hundred and twenty years old today. I can no longer go out and come in. Also, the Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not cross over this Jordan.’ 3 The Lord your God Himself crosses over before you; He will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua himself crosses over before you, just as the Lord has said. 4 And the Lord will do to them as He did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites and their land, when He destroyed them. 5 The Lord will give them over to you, that you may do to them according to every commandment which I have commanded you. 6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” 7 Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. 8 And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”
Now because Joshua embraced this paradigm shift, the Bible showed us as well that the children of Israel also responded and accepted this new change. If you read Joshua 1:16-18, the Bible says:
“So, they answered Joshua, saying, “All that you command us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. 17 Just as we heeded Moses in all things, so we will heed you. Only the Lord your God be with you, as He was with Moses. 18 Whoever rebels against your command and does not heed your words, in all that you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage.”
So, because Joshua did not resist the change that happened in leadership of the children of Israel from Moses to him, the children of Israel also did not find it very difficult to follow him and obey his commandments. Why? The answer is simple: people do what people see. So, your disposition to a paradigm shift as a leader is not to resist it, but to embrace it.
#2. The leader must not be found idle, the leader must be found ‘doing’. When a paradigm shift happens within the organization, that is not the time for the leaders to take a break or be seen not doing anything. As a matter of fact, that is the effective time the leader should swing into action and lead from the front by simply modelling an example for the followers to follow in the new change. If we go back to the case study of Joshua, immediately he was announced, he began the task of leading the children of Israel to battles.
As a matter of fact, Joshua led the children of Israel to thirteen different battles in his leadership career and the battle to gain entrance into Jericho was by far the biggest challenge of his leadership career. But the lesson we want to extract from the life of Joshua is this: immediately he was introduced as the new leader, he didn’t sit down and start to delegate. He simply swung into action leading them into various battles to claim their promised land. So, as the leader, it is our duty to lead our followers into the new change that has been introduced within the organization so that others can be encouraged as well to follow.
I believe you have learnt something!
This is where we will call it a day on today’s episode of Leaderview. Please don’t forget to share this podcast with your friends, drop your comments in the comments section and let me know your thoughts on what we have shared with ourselves today. Till next time on Leaderview, stay blessed and God bless you.
[Centre for New Dimension Leadership]
