Article 29 - Transitional Leadership
The roof is the final element of the McMillion House of Leadership (HOL). The roof is the most visible part and must inspire others; it must be a beacon of light. For me, my roof is transformational leadership. Understanding that an organization's success hinges on its people is crucial. Without transformational leaders, people will not push themselves personally or professionally.
I see two paths any leader can take. First, they can choose to become a transformational leader or what I like to call a Purposeful Accountable Leader (PAL). Second, they can allow the world to harden their hearts and begin practicing a transitional leadership style.
My goal in this blog is to clearly define transitional leadership. In the next blog, I will explain transformational leadership.
Transitional Leadership Overview
Transitional leadership is the first path a leader can choose, and it is the easiest. When a leader adopts this approach, they place profits over people. They value the organization's growth over individual growth. It is increasingly countercultural for leaders to prioritize people over the bottom line.
Transitional leaders view people as objects to be used for selfish gain. If you choose this easy path, you may see temporary success, but you can also cause devastating effects in both your life and your organization. Below are ten habits to avoid to prevent becoming a transitional leader.
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
— Galatians 6:9 (NIV
Top-Down Leadership
Hierarchical organizations (HO) are less effective than non-hierarchical organizations. Why? Because great organizations do not value rank or titles; instead, they focus on results and sharing power.
When you think of the military, you might assume it operates as a strict HO. However, that is incorrect. While the United States military has a clear chain of command, it excels in mission command. At the tactical level, where soldiers are led, power is pushed to the lowest possible levels. This is where battles are fought, work is performed, and critical decisions must be made without hesitation.
If leaders at this level must constantly seek permission from higher-ups, efficiency is reduced. Transitional leaders do not share power with their team. Instead, they hoard power and try to control situations. As a result, they lose the battle and, eventually, the war.
My job is to give orders, your job is to execute them.
Separating Yourself
One of the worst things a leader can do is separate themselves from their team. When leaders create distance, they allow transitional habits to take root in their leadership philosophy or HOL.
As you progress on your leadership journey, it becomes easier to make decisions based solely on numbers. Think about it—what happens if you spend most of your time behind a computer, on email, or in endless meetings?
You lose your connection with yourself, your team, and your family.
Leading behind an email is easy, but it sacrifices the relationships needed for challenging times. Once you separate yourself enough, people become statistics instead of individuals. People first, mission always.
False Image
What does a false image mean?
We've all heard the phrase "fake it until you make it." When a leader takes on a new role with unknown challenges, it can be difficult to admit that they do not know what they are doing.
Believing you understand what is best for the team without gathering insights is naïve. This false image is a common trait of toxic leadership.
Instead of pretending to know everything, move toward your people and ask powerful questions. A strong leader admits when they need help. You cannot be the solution to every problem. As your leadership responsibilities increase, you must understand that you do not have all the answers.
I have all the answers—there’s no need to question my decisions.
No Weakness
At the core of who I am is one word: meekness.
Understand that no one is perfect. Leaders who always display an overly confident or dominant personality will create distance from their people.
Why?
Because leadership is messy, and even the best team members will endure challenging times. If you are unwilling to be open and approachable with everyone, your team will stop approaching you with problems.
When your team stops bringing you issues, you are no longer their leader. Leaders who refuse to show weakness often have a scarcity mindset, hoarding power instead of sharing it.
I have always led with emotions—balanced with strength—to build strong relationships. Relationships create trust, which leads to respect.
Be vulnerable. Be authentic. But above all lead with confidence!
Entitlement
If leaders do not master themselves first (remember the first phase of leadership), they will fall into entitlement.
Leadership positions come with perks, but those benefits are intended to keep you motivated during tough times, not for selfish gain.
Leaders who assume positions of authority without embracing humility, understanding, gratitude, and selfless service (HUGS) fall into temptation.
Instead of choosing a role for pay, location, or benefits, choose a position that aligns with:
Head, Heart, and Hands (Rule of 3H)
Mission over money
Making a real impact
Remember, leadership perks should be shared. Be willing to share your benefits with the team, and always remember:
You work for your people. They do not work for you.
I don’t have to explain myself to anyone. I’ve put in my time.
Control
Control leads to blind spots, often called "dead space." When leaders hoard all the power and stop actively seeking advice from others, it becomes easy to overlook critical issues.
Dead space is a military term referring to areas that are invisible to you. The enemy often freely operates in these spaces. The same applies to leadership.
When leaders control everything and surround themselves only with those who reinforce their viewpoint, they create dead space. A perfect example of this is the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Vladimir Putin consolidated political and military power, prioritizing loyalty over honesty. As a result, he was given poor intelligence—intelligence that suggested Ukraine and its people would welcome Russian occupation. That was not the case.
You create dead space when you base leadership on loyalty alone and suppress dissenting opinions. People will not tell you the truth if it contradicts your narrative. Instead, share power with your team, select diverse members based on MERIT, and encourage open discussions.
Fear-Based Leadership
Fear is one of the most damaging behaviors that can take hold in an organization or leadership style. It leads to inaction, and we have all heard the term analysis paralysis. If you allow fear to take control, it will prevent you from making decisions.
Why?
Because you are afraid to fail.
What many fail to understand is that failure is essential to success. Another way transitional leaders use fear is by enforcing authority to drive outcomes. When your team fears you, you diminish your leadership potential. Once people begin avoiding you, relationships erode, trust is destroyed, and respect is lost.
Leading through fear also leads to a communication breakdown. Once people are afraid to approach you, dead space begins to grow. Colin Powell once said that you are no longer its leader when an organization stops bringing you problems.
People follow people, not titles. Do not lead by fear.
Respect isn’t given, it’s forced—if you don’t like it, you can leave."
Leading “By The Book”
Have you ever had a leader who tries to solve every problem by strictly following a textbook, manual, or policy? If so, you probably noticed a lack of innovation and an inability to solve complex problems.
Each day presents new challenges; no book will provide a clear path to victory.
A perfect example is a military battle drill, which is a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) designed to enable quick reactions to enemy contact. But what happens when you face a hybrid enemy or an unforeseen challenge?
When new obstacles arise, leaders must understand their tools and how to apply them. There is no single, predefined path to success, and textbook problems do not exist in the real world. Leaders must be adaptive thinkers who can analyze situations, develop strategies, and empower their teams to overcome challenges.
The beautiful thing about leadership is that there is no absolute right or wrong approach. Leadership is dynamic. What matters is your proficiency, agility, and persistence in problem-solving.
Outcome-Drive Leadership
In Atomic Habits, James Clear discusses behavior change and the importance of shifting focus to what truly matters. Many people abandon new habits or goals when they do not see immediate results, and the same applies to leadership.
When leaders focus only on numbers, performance metrics, and key performance indicators (KPIs), they lose sight of the bigger picture.
The most important element of any team is culture. Culture defines how your organization operates and how your people feel. How does your organization make your team feel? How does your business make customers feel? Answering these questions helps shape a cultural identity.
For example, McMillion Leadership Coaching (MLC) aims to inspire leaders to become the best versions of themselves and reach their full potential.
Transitional leaders are "outside-in" thinkers, meaning they prioritize outcomes over people. When organizations adopt this mindset, they experience high turnover, low morale, and stagnant growth.
Instead, focus on people first, and the outcomes will follow.
If the numbers look good, nothing else matters.
Hidden Agendas
Have you ever worked for a leader who withheld information or seemed to be pursuing their interests? Leaders with hidden agendas often erode trust and create division.
Every leader has personal goals, and that is perfectly fine. However, when leaders fail to communicate their intentions with the team, they create doubt. Doubt breeds a scarcity mindset, leading to a breakdown in collaboration and trust.
A leader’s goal should be to tear down barriers, not build them. Hidden agendas cloud transparency and create uncertainty within an organization.
Instead, lead with windows, not walls. Windows provide a barrier, but they allow people to see inside. Transparency fosters trust, collaboration, and alignment.
Final Thoughts
The easiest path a leader can take is transitional leadership. Like in A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, a leader has the power to make or break an organization.
At the core of a transitional leader are self-sabotaging behaviors such as fear, anger, jealousy, lack of trust, and ego.
Remember what leadership is truly about—people.
A leader’s job is to leave an organization better than they found it, not worse. Transitional leaders rule through fear, selfishness, and power hoarding. In a world dominated by profit-driven agendas, choose people.
Choose to bring light into your organization. Choose to be the leader the world needs.
Use these ten principles to avoid becoming a transitional leader. We all have the potential for greatness, but it is up to us to forge it. Be the leader your team deserves.
After Action Review
How do you empower your team?
What leadership entitlements are you taking advantage of? How can you share them?
Do you have a personal agenda you are not sharing? Why?
My Mission: I will end toxic leadership practices by equipping leaders with transformational leadership skills.
Together, we will impact 1 MILLION lives!!!
Every day is a gift, don't waste yours!
Joshua K. McMillion | Founder MLC | Founder MLC
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