Here at the Crossroad, we talk a lot about self-governance. As leaders, we first need to learn how to govern ourselves, and then help others on their journey towards self-governance as well. But is self-governance synonymous with independence? While those who self-govern have a level of independence that those who need more oversight do not have, we are not aiming towards complete independence. We still need to work collaboratively, even as self-governing individuals. 

Transformational Leadership

Let’s take the most developmental leadership style, for example: Transformational Leadership. 

The goal of Transformational Leadership is not to leave someone to their own devices without oversight or collaboration. Rather, the goal is to invite others into every step of the There-Here-Path process and to work together to reach a shared goal. 

Remember–we define an organization as two or more people coming together for a common purpose. Each individual within the organization will have their own personal Transcendent There and a THP to get There. But you will all be united around a common There that falls under each of your individual Theres. 

It is a common saying that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. In other words, our collaboration has an exponential effect. What we can achieve together is greater than just my work plus your work. There is value in working together as a part of an organization. That is why we seek to become better leaders instead of just better individual workers. We want to invite others along the journey and grow and create together. 

Practical Application

So how does this dichotomy practically work? Knowing that we want to grow self-governance, we still need to maintain a sense of interdependence. 

With the Delegative style of leadership, we talk about how you can delegate authority, but not responsibility. As a leader, you may have given someone the authority to call the shots on a project you are overseeing, but you will still be responsible for the outcome. 

Remember the three things we can control: 1. Our actions, 2. Our perspective, and 3. Whom we trust. You can choose who you trust with delegated authority, but you cannot control what they do with that authority. 

That is why self-governance and the Freedom V are so important. The Freedom V is a mental model to help us envision how to guide others towards self-governance. If someone is unable to create their own internal boundaries, they need to be given tighter external boundaries. 

Once someone has reached the top of the Freedom V and can set their own regulations and structures to help themselves live well, that does not mean that they should function autonomously and isolated. Rather, they should become leaders themselves, to help others learn to self-govern and work with other self-governing individuals on projects that multiply their efforts. 

Gracie McBride is the Content and Systems Coordinator at The Crossroad.