PT305 Redemptive Leadership Model Richardson 1

Peter M Richardson MSC#204

Prof. Jay Held
PT305 F2013
2013 December 4
Redemptive Leadership Model
Redemptive Leadership is a process whereby a Christian individual serves to influence a
group of individuals to achieve common goals through demonstration and holistic care.
Throughout the model, this definition will be explained and some parameters will be set for the
success or failure of a redemptive leader. Since leadership is not limited to sex, the redemptive
leader described in this model alternates from male to female without differentiation.
Theology of Redemptive Leadership
First, the theology of redemptive leadership, which is to say, what a redemptive leader
believes about God and himself. As stated above, redemptive leadership is a process where a
Christian individual serves to influence. A redemptive leader receives his identity from the
completed work of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. While depravity and sin rule in the
nature of mankind, and God's wrath rightly burns against unrepentant rebels, God himself has
made a way for sinners to enter into his blessing. A redemptive leader is in Christ, in that he is
transferred from Adamic darkness to the kingdom of the beloved Son of God. To say that a
redemptive leader's "identity" is in Christ means that while sin and immorality once defined his
life, now the perfect righteousness of Christ is his defining identity. One thing this means is that
a redemptive leader does not hide his wrongdoings or failures, but confesses them and seeks
reconciliation with full confidence that there is no guilt or shame for those who are in Christ; the
debt to God has been fully paid at the cross.
PT305 Redemptive Leadership Model Richardson 2
Related to being in Christ is receiving God the Holy Spirit in the redemptive leader's
heart. The Holy Spirit does not reside in a temple or a man-made structure, but in the heart (the
center and source of a person's being) of Christians. The Holy Spirit acts as the redemptive
leader's indwelling authority and moral enabler. The Holy Spirit guides, directs, and convicts the
redemptive leader as she lives her life. More than this, the Holy Spirit empowers the redemptive
leader to do that which is impossible in the flesh to accomplish; namely, repent of sin, speak
God's truth, act in true love and goodness, and generally desire to bring glory to God. Practically,
this means that a redemptive leader knows the will of God for her life (that she would be
sanctified: more like Christ than ever before), and she prays fervently and works to that end.
On that note, a redemptive leader ultimately seeks the glory of God the Father. When a
redemptive leader acts to glorify the Father, this means that he desires more honor, reverence,
fear, adoration, respect, and sheer joy to be directed to the creator and savior God. While all
things, whether done with good intention or evil, ultimately work for the glory of God and the
good of those who are in Christ, a redemptive leader seeks out that glory, looking for ways to
magnify the name of God here and now. In a given situation, a redemptive leader may behave
identically to a nonChristian, yet because the he is motivated by God's glory, the redemptive
leader will elicit different responses from their behavior than a nonChristian (this will be
explained further below). Among other things, this means that a redemptive leader will direct
others in humility, not desiring to make much of himself, but in an attempt to show the supreme
greatness of the Father whom he serves.
PT305 Redemptive Leadership Model Richardson 3
So, the redemptive leader's identity in Christ has everything to do with why she serves
the organization and her followers rather than herself. The redemptive leader's task within the
organization is not her own welfare or benefit, but the advancing of the goals of the organization
and the welfare of her followers - in this way she denies herself and serves others. Because the
redemptive leader is in Christ, she does not desire worldly comfort or the praise of her own
name, so she "serves," in a complete sense of the word. The redemptive leader works to allow
her followers to achieve the goals of the organization; she empowers and enables others in the
tasks at hand; she devotes time and energy into the organization, rather than herself or her own
agendas. This may look like a redemptive leader spending time away from her own
responsibilities to ensure that the higher priority tasks of her followers are properly executed, at
her own personal expense.
Furthermore, (as referenced above) a redemptive leader doesn't necessarily do anything
new or different in the organization, but his motivation is unique as it emulates his testimony of
God's effectual love to save and glorify himself. So, the motivating factor for a redemptive leader
is love - but not love that comes of himself, but love that has been given to him from God which
overflows in abundance and affects those around the redemptive leader. Because the redemptive
leader is motivated by divine love, even those actions which appear identical to another's
behavior will take on new significance and have a particular and unique response from those
who receive it. This is not to say that the redemptive leader will have increased influence in the
organization or that everyone will love him, in fact, many will be offended by the kind of love
received, just as many are offended by God's loving ways. Part of emulating the life of Christ
PT305 Redemptive Leadership Model Richardson 4
means receiving religious persecution as Jesus and his followers have for two millennia. This
means that the redemptive leader will share his faith in the act of serving and caring for others,
many times explicitly sharing the motivation he feels from Christ's example of love toward him
(the gospel).
Priorities of the Redemptive Leader
Again, Redemptive Leadership is a process whereby a Christian individual serves to
influence a group of individuals to achieve common goals through demonstration and holistic
care. So, the priorities of redemptive leadership are: first, seeking the advancement of the
organization's goals. The redemptive leader's job is to ensure that the group's end goals are being
met - or at least that steps are being taken in the right direction to effectively meet those goals.
Secondarily, it seeks the followers' development as members of the organization. Along
the way of achieving organizational goals, the redemptive leader serves her followers primarily
in skill-advancement / goal-oriented growth, but also in their personal growth and well-being. As
stated above, holistic care is a stated goal of redemptive leadership, this is because followers who
are personally healthy and feel significant in their life will not only be better off in general, but
also they will contribute more energy, creativity, and productivity to the organization. Finally,
redemptive leadership seeks the redemptive leader's growth as a redemptive leader. While a
redemptive leader does not pursue her own agendas, she does work to develop her redemptive
leadership to be more effective. This helps the organization achieve its goals, and also helps her
strategically invest in the organization without "burning out" or becoming completely exhausted
from ineffective overworking.
PT305 Redemptive Leadership Model Richardson 5
Returning again to the definition of redemptive leadership, a redemptive leader serves as
a leader. So, rather than ordering or commanding or exacting discipline, a redemptive leader
coaches and instructs and demonstrates. This differentiation is not semantic or nominal, but has
everything to do with the behaviors that a redemptive leader engages in. Because the redemptive
leader prioritizes the organization before he considers himself, he seeks the welfare of the
followers in his interaction with them, even in correction. The redemptive leader does indeed
retain the ability to discipline and punish, but, as will be explained below, he first instructs
regarding goals and their achievement, coaching, if necessary, along the way to maintain growth
and development. The primary way in which the redemptive leader leads is through
demonstrating the activities, attitudes, and techniques that will best meet the organization's goals.
This means that the redemptive leader never asks a follower to do more than he has shown he
will do.
Measuring Redemptive Leadership
A Redemptive leader's effectiveness is ultimately shown in follower behavior, but this is
not the primary concern; rather, as a redemptive leader cares for her followers effectively, they
will indeed display desired behavior. This distinction is made so that the redemptive leader can
lead well (achieving high measurements as seen below) while truly focusing on the goals of the
organization, rather than merely covering her ass, as can happen so often in organizational
leadership.
What follows are several parameters for measuring followers through effectiveness in
behavior. The first is goal-related performance. This is the extent to which followers take part in
effectively meeting standards, achieving success, and growing in their ability to hit
PT305 Redemptive Leadership Model Richardson 6
organizational goals. This parameter varies greatly depending on the type of organization and the
follower's role in the organization - so, little can be clarified on this point. The general guideline
is that followers are performing up to standard and showing developmental progress in task-
related behavior.
Second is the followers' ability to recapitulate the group's goal and explain their role. This
is the litmus test for how well the redemptive leader is fulfilling his requirement of
demonstration and goal articulation to his followers. When prompted, a follower should be able
to state the organization's goals, especially those pertaining to their role or department. If a
follower cannot state the organization's goals, they will be limited in their productivity, creativity,
problem-solving, and overall effectiveness as they could become woefully side-tracked and
never realize it. The other part of this parameter is much like the first, it is the follower's ability
to state their specific role in meeting the organization's goals. Again, if a redemptive leader
articulates the followers' place in the organizational scheme, those followers will achieve their
goals with greater effectiveness.
Third is the followers' ability to selflessly serve the group's goal with excellence. As the
redemptive leader cares for and coaches her followers, they will be willing to go above and
beyond the rudimentary requirements of their role. This parameter takes time to build, as a
follower must be totally "on-board" with the organization's goals to sacrifice their time and
energy for the sake of the organization. This looks like developing new strategies to complete
tasks, working with other followers in effective partnerships, spending extra time, perhaps
uncompensated, to achieve higher standards than are necessary for the followers' success.
PT305 Redemptive Leadership Model Richardson 7
Fourth and finally is the followers' strong relationships and positive attitude in work-
group interpersonal relationships. Much like the third parameter, this area takes time and
commitment on the part of the follower and effectual redemptive leadership in the organization.
Many times an organization contains very different people, as many organizations require a
diverse set of skills and backgrounds to achieve their goals. These followers will not naturally
mesh together without the unity of their common goals and their admiration for their redemptive
leader. When followers are truly committed to the organization's goals, they will become a strong
team. Not only this, but when followers work closely together with a positive attitude and desire
to build strong organizational relationships, they will encourage and even discipline one another
as uncommitted or failing members are encountered.
Integration from Northouse
Northouse's model of leadership states that "leadership is a process whereby an individual
influences a group of individuals to achieve a common goal." Whereas Redemptive Leadership
1
is a process whereby a Christian individual serves to influence a group of individuals to achieve
common goals through demonstration and holistic care. Each of these distinctives (italicized
here) have been explained, but the core assumptions of leadership have been transferred from
Northouse, and require unpacking just as the prior elements have been explained.
First, redemptive leadership is a process theory (rather than trait), meaning the leader
influences and is influenced through interaction with followers. In a trait-based model, a leader is
evaluated based on intrinsic qualities the leader possesses (whether he displays / utilizes them or
not) whereas a process model measures the leader based on his actual interactions. A redemptive
Peter G. Northouse, Leadership: Theory & Practice: 6th Edition (Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2013), p5.
1
PT305 Redemptive Leadership Model Richardson 8
leader behaves like a redemptive leader - his qualities are tested as the rubber meets the road,
rather than on a questionnaire or personality profile. Said another way, redemptive leadership is
not an armchair discipline. Finally, a redemptive leader himself is influenced through interactions
with followers; he grows in his ability to effectively care for followers as he listens to their
concerns, challenges, and desires.
Second, redemptive leadership utilizes emergent leadership (rather than assigned),
meaning the redemptive leader earns her place of influence. In assigned models of leadership, the
leader exacts influence by virtue of her office. The assigned leader may be effective, she may
even be respected and admired, but this is primarily based on her authorial office. In redemptive
leadership, she grows into her place of authority, perhaps some time after taking the assignment.
She takes time to get to know the organization and its goals; then, her followers and their unique
contributions to the organization. After listening, learning, and assessing, she begins to lead with
influence as her followers trust and stand behind ("commit to") her redemptive leadership.
Third, the form of power used by a redemptive leader is personal, including referent and
expert power, meaning followers see the Redemptive leader as likable and knowledgable. A
redemptive leader leads partially on the basis of his sociability. This does not mean that a
redemptive leader with less social skills or higher introversion is a poor redemptive leader, rather
he works to show kindness, gentleness, self-control, and other valuable social traits based on the
indwelling of God's Holy Spirit.
Personal power is in contrast to position power, which a redemptive leader makes as little
use of as possible. Position power carries with it three forms of leader interactions. The
PT305 Redemptive Leadership Model Richardson 9
redemptive leader makes no use of coercive power in the sense of force or threats. She does not
resort to the use of an ultimatum, nor practices extortion, nor leads through fear and force.
Personal power supersedes coercive power as the redemptive leader wins over her followers to
be influenced by her before the need for threats or use of force.
Finally, the redemptive leader may use legitimate or reward power to influence followers,
although this is not preferable. Legitimate power is similar to assigned leadership as it refers to
the leader's actual authority level over his followers. A redemptive leader reserves the right to
make use of legitimate power (e.g. firing, suspending, hiring, promoting), however, this should
not arise often in the organizational life of the redemptive leader. Similarly, reward power is the
ability of the leader to give positive reinforcement to followers (e.g. financial pay, raises,
incentives, gifts). Again, the redemptive leader will gain the influence of followers by showing
the value of the organization's goals and encouraging loyalty to the organization for its own sake,
rather than fueling self-interest in his followers through reward power. In conclusion, discipline
is an important part of the redemptive leader selflessly achieving the organization's goals;
however, it is a "last resort" option to the redemptive leader in lieu of more effective methods.
Contexts of Redemptive Leadership
Because redemptive leadership is limited to Christian leaders, it can apply to a Christian
context, with Christian followers. Redemptive leadership would work effectively in a local
church context, whether practiced by a pastor or any other leadership role. The redemptive leader
then explains the theology of her leadership as she goes about leading; brining Scripture and
theology into the life of the church in every activity. Redemptive leadership would also be
effective in a para-church organization in much the same way. In a Christian context, the
PT305 Redemptive Leadership Model Richardson 10
redemptive leader shares her values, motivation, and theology at face value whenever applicable
and disciples followers as she cares holistically for them.
In a nonChristian context, redemptive leadership is also effective. In a nonprofit
organization, a homeowners association, or a business setting, the redemptive leader applies all
the aspects defined above in leading. However, the redemptive leader is careful to share his
theology in these settings, as the mission of the church to reach the lost gives unique parameters
for how he goes about discussing Christianity. Rather than teaching followers about the theology
of redemptive leadership (as in a local church setting), the redemptive leader in a nonChristian
setting demonstrates his theology as he serves, loves, and repents before his followers and
colleagues. Whenever the redemptive leader feels it is advantageous, he explicitly shares his
theological convictions and motivations with the hope of facilitating more theological
conversation and even converting his followers into Christ's kingdom and eternal life.
So, throughout the model, redemptive leadership has been explained and parameters have
been set for the success or failure of a redemptive leader. As it has been explained, redemptive
leadership is a process whereby a Christian individual serves to influence a group of individuals
to achieve common goals through demonstration and holistic care.