It Takes a Lot of A Lot
“Transformational leadership is bull shit.”
Okay, my wife didn’t actually say those words, but it’s what it felt like she was saying.
Last month, we had a spirited discussion where she expressed her skepticism of transformational leadership as a leadership philosophy.
To her, it feels unattainable. In her words, it’s like everyone you lead is a caterpillar that you have to help turn into a butterfly.
When I heard this, I was taken aback and a little hurt—as transformational leadership has been at the heart of my work for the last decade.
But then I started reading Brené Brown’s newest book, Strong Ground, and a few lines got me rethinking the concept:
“Real transformations are [...] rare; time- and attention-intensive; absolutely disorienting; and immersive. When a leader calls something a transformation that is designed to be more incremental, that leader loses trust, credibility, and respect.”
As I reflect on Brené’s words and my own work over the last decade, I realize she’s right: Transformation is BIG.
It takes a lot of a lot. It requires intentional time and focused attention. It is intensive, deeply personal, highly relational, and profoundly uncomfortable. Most people aren’t truly willing to do that kind of work—within themselves or their teams.
As we discussed recently on the podcast, transformation requires not just new behaviors, but new thinking. As hard as habits are to change, shifting a mindset is exponentially more challenging.
Okay—so I think my wife is right. (I still haven’t told her, though!)
The word “transformational” is thrown around these days as a mere “leadership style” or the latest strategic initiative. I am not sure every year or every season calls for transformation.
That said, if you aren’t ready to give up on the idea just yet, Brené Brown points out that we must be ready for drastic changes:
“Leading transformation means you will be breaking big stuff across the organization and, at the exact same time, you’ll need to fiercely protect the parts of your organization that are central to your mission and critical to your identity.”
Here are six keys to transformation adapted from Brené’s book:
Assessment: What is the gap between the current state and the desired future state? What is the individual or team’s readiness to close that gap?
Mindsets: What are the beliefs and patterns of thinking that individuals are currently operating under?
Skills: What must be learned—and unlearned—for people to be able to do better?
Tools: What tools can an individual or team implement to support a shift in behavior and mindset?
Coaching: Who can partner with the individuals and the team to support the work?
Systems: What processes or structural changes can be experimented with to create the conditions for radical change?
"Transformational" means radical change. It means you are ready to break things and ready to get uncomfortable.
In 2016, that meant I did some hard self-assessment.
I asked for difficult feedback from people both inside and outside of my circle.
I got rid of my TV for four months.
I went from reading four books a year to one book a week.
I started journaling.
I hired a coach.
I stopped sleeping in and started waking up at 5:00 a.m. to work out.
Is transformation what you need this year? If so, are you ready?
Personally, this next year is not going to be about transformation.
Most people don’t need and aren’t ready for that big of an overhaul every single year.
For me, the next year is about being grounded, not transformed.
More on that to come in future articles…
Notes
Brown, Brené. Strong Ground: The Lessons of Daring Leadership, the Tenacity of Paradox, and the Wisdom of the Human Spirit. Random House, 2025.
