Working towards a transformational leadership style by ericwelke

Articles from EricWelke.com Working Towards A Transformational Leadership Style by Eric Welke

You can think of the Transformational Leadership Style as sort of an “idealized” vision of leadership. A benchmark where all other styles are measured against. Every good manager aims to be a transforming leader but it takes a bit of work to get to that point. We recently talked about the different types of leadership styles based on the level of interaction and management. The transformational leadership style most of the time falls somewhere between the Participative and Laissez Faire style. It rarely needs to make a direct order except in times of crisis since an effective transformational leader will have a team that anticipates change. James MacGregor Burns developed the original theory behind transformational leadership. He said it was present when “leaders and followers make each other to advance to a higher level of moral and motivation.” A transformational leader then is someone who is able to inspire people towards a goal through the force his personality and vision. Each follower works towards a goal without the demand for immediate rewards. They are inspired because of the example demonstrated by the leader. Bernard Bass expanded on the original work of Burns to develop the current theory on Transformational Leadership. According to him a transformational leadership can be defined not just by the results but also by the impact it has on the followers. The leader is treated with high regard by his followers and this motivates them

towards the pursuit of a common goal. Here are a few questions you might ask yourself to check if you’re progressing towards the transformational leadership style: Do I have a good rapport with my team? – A pretty basic requirement. Lines of communication should always be open between you and your team. Clear and honest discussions should be the norm. Can I effectively communicate my goals and vision to my team members? – This is self-explanatory. A big part of a transformational leadership is the team’s acceptance and internalization of a shared vision. Am I generally an enabler or a supporter? – You’re on the right track if your team relies less on you and more on themselves to get a task done. Do I nourish my follower’s individual strengths, especially their creativity? – Letting your followers come up with solutions on their own empowers them and improves their self-worth. This in turn boosts morale and individual expertise. Do I spend enough time mentoring my team? – This is important since monitoring and feedback can only come from regular 1 on 1 sessions. Even an informal talk helps a lot to gauge progress and provide encouragement. Is my mentoring tailored to each of my follower’s needs? – Of course mentoring has to fit each individual. Not all approaches and communication styles work for everyone. Transformational leadership takes into consideration the uniqueness of each individual. Do I recognize and reward individuals in my team who deserve it? – Another basic component of any effective leadership style. Effective transformational leadership however emphasizes more recognition than rewards as the completion of the goal is considered the best reward. Am I a good role model for my followers? – If you consistently practice what you preach then you will get the respect of your followers. Their idealized view of a good leader will be realized and will inspire them to emulate you.

The transformational leadership type is most effective and most preferred style in a lot of cases. You will know it is present when the team has become more than the sum of its parts.