This book sat on my shelf for some years, and I've since forgotten why or how it landed there. Nonetheless, "Radical Transformational Leadership: Strategic Action for Change Agents" (2017) by Monica Sharma is a blend of self-help and development studies. The book is not published by an academic press (North Atlantic Books) and the author is a practitioner (not an academic). I believe the author seeks to inspire and motivate, with relatively basic "fallacies" and "new learnings" frequently appearing throughout. At many points the book is aspiration without delving into the challenges (although the examples do highlight some of the issues when moving from broad / generic "universals" to specific decisions). If you are seeking a motivational and aspirational book with some tips, this could be for you; if you are looking for an academic or critical engagement with leadership and transformation, potentially not. Some notes:
"It is essential to support the principled risk-takers whose actions move us toward equitable and sustainable change. Principled risk-takers are there in every establishment, every society. They challenge what is not working not because they have a personal agenda or complaint but because they are grounded firmly in the space of oneness, of universal values that apply to everyone, everywhere. They are ethical and cannot close their compassionate hearts to what is unfair or undignified. Unfortunately, others all too often label them as disgruntled, rebellious reactionaries, or simply dismiss them as emotional. Courageous, politically conscious individuals with bold ideas that support the common good are often branded as idealists and are told that the system will stall their ideas. But they continue. And they need support so that they are not rendered ineffective." (p. 128)
"We have choices. We can continue to find "fixes" to our problems, never addressing the factors that give rise to these problems. We can continue to implement partial responses to complex issues - brutal violence, climate change, crisis in the financial system, inequalities, unemployment, unmet basic needs, to name a few - knowing that such responses rarely make significant impact or generate the change we wish to see. Or, we can choose to design and implement conscious full spectrum responses to solve our dire problems while radically transforming systems and cultural norms, sourcing our inner capacities, thereby moving the whole, addressing not just the immediate problems but that which gives rise to them. These are the conditions of sustainable change. As we create opportunities for people to manifest their full potential, at the same time we must respond to basic needs for all." (p. 305-305)
