Leadership Through The Lens Of Spiral Dynamics Theory
The qualities and style of leadership travel through a wide spectrum, and through the years there have been numerous attempts to classify leaders and their behavior. Most of these attempts emanate from the belief that leaders are divided into different types that remain unchanged. Such thoughts create the perception of a sense of stability in leadership; however, these thoughts preclude the possibility of transformation or growth in a leader’s career.
As with our personality, leadership style is also in constant flux, either moving up or down. As leaders, we always change and grow, depending on the level of our being.
To explore how the transformation process works in leadership, we can focus on the theory of spiral dynamics—an effective tool used for understanding the evolution of interactions between individuals, organizations and societies, initiated by Clare W. Graves and further developed by his successors, Don Beck and Christopher Cowan. The underlying assumptions of this theory are based on three statements:
• The adaptation to external circumstances is perpetual, playing a significant role in shaping our views, pushing us forward or keeping us on track.
