Summary of “Seven Transformations of Leadership”By David Rooke and William R.

Torbert

Every company needs transformational leaders those who lead changes that lift up profitability,
increase market share, and alter the rules of the game in their industry. But few executives
understand the unique strengths needed to become such a leader. Thus they miss the
opportunity to develop those strengths. They and their firms lose out. But to avoid the scenario
they need to know that great leaders are differentiated not by their personality or philosophy but
by their action logic how they interpret their own and others’ behavior and how they maintain
power or protect against threats. Some leaders rely on action logics that hinder organizational
performance.

Transformation Leaders’ action logic is the focal point of this article and the authors classify
leaders into seven different action logic categories which are opportunist, diplomat, expert,
achiever, individualist, strategist and alchemist .

The first three ( opportunist, diplomat, expert) accounted for 55% which are related with below-
average performance of the executives in their survey and achievers are 30%, individualists
10%, strategist 4% and alchemist 1%.

The transformation in below begins with opportunist and at the top alchemist as a most
developed action logic. In order to explain the meaning of action logic the authors describe it
as ‘how leaders interpret their own and others behavior and how they maintain power or protect
against threats. They stated that leaders who are ready to try hard for developing themselves
and becoming more self-aware can move toward one of the more effective action logics.
Furthermore, let’s give a closer look into these seven action logics.