by Wesley Granberg-Michaelson

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review by David Kingrey

“TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP” in today's world must be “inner-directed,” in contrast to the popular leadership style of being “outward-directed.” Wesley Granberg-Michaelson weaves this central theme throughout his book Leadership from Inside Out: Spirituality and Organizational Change. Transformational leaders are those who are able to direct the loyalty of others to purpose, vision, and commitment. Such leaders require liberation from external expectations, demands, and preoccupations. The pathways to such freedom are prayer and being firmly rooted in God's love.

Granberg-Michaelson served for eight years on the staff of U.S. Senator Mark O. Hatfield of Oregon and is currently general secretary of the Reformed Church in America. Although coming from a Reformed theological background, he writes with an emphasis on the Friends value of being inwardly directed by Christ:

“In every life, in every group, in every nation, at any point, the love of Christ, the source and root of the universe, can break through and flow, making all things new…We all need to keep discovering and returning to those places and practices that allow such love to break in, so we can lead from the inside out” (p. 177).

The author calls for greater attention to spiritual discernment and listening to one another in a common search for God's leading. He reminds us that people “vote with their hearts,” and their actions follow accordingly. He adds, “From our centeredness we may be able to offer our organization what is most essential for its livelihood, fruitfulness and growth” (p. 50). In this process of spiritual discernment, leaders must focus on the unique gifts they bring to the organization, while enabling others to use their particular talents. The goal is to maximize the strengths of all persons in the organization.

Vision, mission, and values are central to an organization's health, according to Granberg-Michaelson. The leader who leads from the inside out will be able to cast vision and help the organization define its distinctive characteristics. The leader will then encourage others to fulfill their responsibility in the mission of the organization. (This process is similar to the Friends belief that pastors should equip church members for their ministries.) Vision and mission, however, as important as they are, will not sustain an organization. People need clear values that they will take with them to shape their culture and life. In summary, the healthy organization is inspired by vision, driven by mission, and undergirded by shared values.

Leadership from Inside Out addresses the importance of organizational change, as implied in the subtitle of the book: Spirituality and Organizational Change. Granberg-Michaelson urges religious groups, especially, to learn how to instill steady and deep change in their organizations, so that they can address the dramatic challenges posed by the North American culture in the twenty-first century. Anxiety and pain will inevitably accompany such change. The author uses the image of Jesus' disciples being tossed by wind and waves in a storm. Leaders must absorb the anxiety, fear, and pain of the people, while they learn how to endure valid criticism and deflect the “cheap shots” of some who desire to undermine their capacity for leadership. Essential for leaders also is the ability to shift and change their styles as organizations evolve. Moreover, they must promote broad participation, empowerment, and mutual trust of every person in the organization, because “Mutual trust is the ‘coin of the realm' in organizations embarked on the journey of change” (p.137).

Granberg-Michaelson is writing to leaders of many types of organizations, but he gives special counsel to pastors, who, he says, are called to transmit the trustworthiness of God's grace. In order to fulfill this calling, they must themselves be wholly trustworthy. He urges pastors to form intentional relationships of personal trust and accountability and to keep replenishing their inner lives, so that God's love may flow freely through their ministries.

For those who are leading organizations with long traditions, Granberg-Michaelson has useful advice. He writes, “Good leaders will learn how to ‘mine' an organization's tradition for the most effective nuggets that can sustain its journey to the future” (p. 172).

The final chapter is entitled, “The Model” and refers to Jesus of Nazareth, our highest model of leadership. More than a model, “He was the uniquely incarnated presence of God” (p. 179), who fundamentally altered the course of world history.

I found the book very helpful in my ministry and leadership responsibilities, and I strongly recommend it. Here is a resource that is clearly Christ-centered and provides excellent counsel for churches and for leaders in our churches and other organizations.

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