Those who expect to lead masterfully must be as versatile as was Michelangelo; they must be masters of three distinct art forms. Michelangelo fashioned the Pieta and the statue of David from blocks of raw marble, painted the vaulted ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican, and was a primary contributor to the construction of St Peter’s Basilica. He was a sculptor, a painter, and an architect: three distinct art forms. Inspiring intellectual, emotional, and spiritual commitments are each forms of art in the truest sense.
Artists work with their materials and their competencies to provoke a response from others. For example, Michelangelo employed his various materials and diverse competencies primarily to inspire awe and reverence. Leaders, although they work with far less tangible materials than Michelangelo’s marble, pigment, and building matter, nonetheless also employ their various materials and diverse competencies to provoke a response—commitment.
The material used in the art of winning intellectual commitment is a story. The story is much more than merely a vision of what might be, or a tale about a quest for change, but is also a challenge to the very identities of followers. It is a summons to become more than they are, more than they can become by their own solitary efforts. This art calls for four competencies— insight, vision, storytelling, and mobilizing —in order to convince people of the story’s worthiness.
The material used in the art of winning emotional commitment is feeling. This art calls for competencies that are far more subtle and therefore more difficult to master— self-awareness, emotional engagement, and fostering hope. Inspiring emotional commitment entails moving people to go the extra mile to create concrete reality out of abstract purpose.
The material used to win spiritual commitment is soul. Inspiring spiritual commitment is the least concrete of the three arts. The effects of storytelling and feeling can often be seen directly, while the effects of soul as it works in the relationship between a leader and followers can only be sensed in the most intangible ways; some measure of faith is required. Competencies for inspiring spiritual commitment are rendering significance, enacting beliefs, and centering. These are less solid, more numinous talents. Leaders inspire soul in order to engage people more fully and deeply.
A story, feeling, and soul are a leader’s forms of marble, pigment, and building matter. They are the stuff out of which a leader creates art—convincing, moving, and engaging people—inspiring different forms and levels of commitment. The ten leadership competencies, along with the basic material of each and the desired response.
Winning Intellectual Commitment
Winning Emotional Commitment
Winning Spiritual Commitment
Desired Response
Convincing People
Ensuring that they understand the purpose they are asked to support and its underlying rationale
Moving People
Increasing their motivation to act on the purpose they are asked to support
Engaging People Captivating them with a sense of higher purpose or calling
Material
Story
Feeling
Soul
Competencies
Insight
Perceiving what is in a new way
Vision
Creating an ideal image of identity and the future
Storytelling Presenting and embodying the vision in an unforgettable way
Mobilizing Transforming energy into committed action
Self-Awareness Alertness to one’s internal experiences and reactions
Emotional Engagement Creating a flow of productive feeling
Fostering Hope Encouraging the sense that something desirable is possible or is likely to happen
Rendering Significance
Drawing connections to a higher meaning and purpose
Enacting Beliefs Translating spiritual beliefs and practices into leadership activities
Centering The discipline of bringing in rather than leaving out pose