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Transformational Leadership Implementing New Radical Ideas and Continually Improving Yourself and Those Around You |
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By: Vadim Kotelnikov, Founder, Ten3 Business e-Coach – Inspiration and Innovation Unlimited, 1000ventures.com, 1000advices.com
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"Some men see things the way they are and ask why, I see things as they could be and ask why not." – Bobby Kennedy |
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What is Transformational Leadership? Transformational leadership is about implementing new ideas. These individuals continually change themselves; they stay flexible and adaptable; and continually improve those around them. The transformational leader encourages followers by acting as a role model, motivating through inspiration, stimulating intellectually, and giving individualized consideration for needs and goals.3
Overall, transformational leaders balance their attention between action that creates progress and the mental state of their followers. Perhaps more than other leadership approaches, they are people-oriented and believe that success comes first and last through deep and sustained commitment. Why Transformational Leadership? Transformational leadership empowers people to greatly exceed their previous levels of accomplishment. This dynamic and innovative leadership style challenges and motivates an entire organization – top to bottom. They put passion and energy into everything. They care about people and want people to succeed. The result is individual, group, and organizational achievement beyond expectations.
Transformational vs. Transactional Leadership Transactional leadership is complementary with transformational leadership. Transactional leaderships is about deployment and management of people and resources to get results. It is based on an exchange of services for various kinds of rewards that the leader controls. Transactional leadership is a first stage and central to getting day-to-day routines carried out. It works only when both leaders and followers understand and are in agreement about which tasks are important. Transactional leadership is essential to getting the job done but transformational leadership is what provides the emotional glue that causes organizations and the people in them to excel. Breaking the Rules So what separates extraordinary leaders from proponents of the status quo? They break the rules. Except, not in an arbitrary or capricious way. When you look at examples of extraordinary leadership, like the Founding Fathers of the United States or Jack Welch of GE, certain practices or principles become apparent. To start, there is a declaration of what the future will be. There is also a purpose, something to stand for. And finally, there is a clearly articulated commitment... More
Developing and Selling the Vision As a Transformational Leader, you must start with the development of a vision, a view of the future that will excite and convert your potential followers.
"The next step, which in fact never stops, is to constantly sell the vision. This takes energy and commitment, as few people will immediately buy into a radical vision, and some will join the show much more slowly than others. You must take every opportunity and use whatever works to convince others to to climb on board the bandwagon."4 In order to create followers, you have to be very careful in creating trust, and your personal personal integrity is a critical part of the package that you are selling. In effect, you are selling yourself as well as the vision. Keep People In The Know "Transformational leaders empower others by keeping them "in the know," by keeping them fully informed on everything that effects their jobs," says Brian Tracy. "People want and need to feel that they are “insiders,” that they are aware of everything that is going on. There is nothing so demoralizing to a staff member than to be kept in the dark about their work and what is going on in the company."... MoreJack Welch has been with the General Electric Company (GE) since 1960. Having taken GE with a market capitalization of about $12 billion, Jack Welch turned it into one of the largest and most admired companies in the world, with a market value of about $500 billion, when he stepped down as its CEO 20 years later, in 2000. Although Jack Welch is "the celebrated leader of a global manufacturer often noted for its technological prowess, he has utilized a very human process to drive change through GE's vast organization. Having respect for the individual as a pivotal force in organizational change, Welch created a model of exceptional performance every corporate leader can learn from.
Six Core Skills of a Transformational Leader... Launching a Crusade... Balancing Dynamic Organizational Dichotomies... Making Big Changes... Creating Change... Leading Change... Change Management... 8 Reasons Why Change Efforts Fail... 6Ws of Change Management... Create Corporate Guiding Principles... Employee Empowerment... Your Emotional Task... Emotional Intelligence (EI)... Inspiring People... Energizing People... Leading by Example... Empowerment Is a Key... Action Exercise...
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