The 4 Principles of Transformational Leadership
Transformational leadership is a leadership style that inspires and motivates followers to achieve more than they thought possible. Transformational leaders are able to connect with their followers on a personal level and create a shared vision for the future. They are also able to empower their followers to take ownership of their work and to develop their own leadership skills.
Characteristics of Transformational Leadership
There are a number of characteristics that are common to transformational leaders. These include:
1. Idealized Influence: Be the change you want to see. Transformational leaders set examples to their followers and do it in a way that they want to follow. These leaders are authentic with their emotions and make others feel comfortable. As a transformational leader people will come to respect and rely on you.
People are more likely to follow someone they admire and respect. So, work on becoming someone who is positive, enthusiastic, and passionate about their work.
2. Inspirational Motivation: Transformational leaders are able to inspire their followers to achieve great things. They do this by communicating their passion and excitement for the vision, and by providing their followers with the support they need to succeed. Transformational leaders have a clear vision for the future and are able to articulate that vision to their followers.
Take some time to think about what you want to achieve in your career. What are your goals? What are your values? Once you have a clear vision for the future, you can start to articulate it to your followers through action.
3. Intellectual stimulation: Transformational leaders encourage their followers to think for themselves and to challenge the status quo. They do this by providing their followers with new ideas and perspectives, and by encouraging them to take risks.
Don't be afraid to think outside the box and challenge the way things are done. This will show your followers that you are open to all ideas and that you are willing to do what others may not.
4. Individualized consideration: Transformational leaders treat each follower as an individual and provide them with the support and attention they need to succeed. They do this by listening to their followers' concerns, providing them with feedback, and helping them to develop their skills.
Get to know your followers on a personal level and show them that you care about their success. This will make them more likely to trust you and to follow you.
Learn more about the 4 principles of transformation leadership and how to be a transformational leader in the classroom in The Startup Teacher Playbook.
Transformational leadership has a number of benefits for both the organization and the followers. For the organization, transformational leadership can lead to increased productivity, innovation, and employee satisfaction. For the followers, transformational leadership can lead to increased job satisfaction, motivation, and development.
Transformational leadership is a powerful leadership style that can have a positive impact on both the organization and the followers. If you want to become a transformational leader, there are a number of things you can do to grow your leadership skills. By developing your influence, becoming an inspiration, challenging the status quo, and caring about your followers, you can become a transformational leader who can achieve great things.
