My Desired Leadership Style the Transformational Leader
I aspire to be a transformational leader. Transformational leaders possess the unique to inspire their subordinates to be the best they can be. This leadership style can be used for good or bad some Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Adolf Hitler were both transformational leaders. No matter what the circumstances are that motivate a transformational leader, they must possess values that guide them through their leadership.
There is no cookie cutter example of a transformational leader each leader has their own way of doing things but an authentic transformational leader must utilize certain skills, competencies, experiences, knowledge, and traits. I personally believe that it is very important for a leader to have a versatile leadership approach. As I have developed my leadership skills over the past few years I have experienced uncomfortable situations and different personalities than my own and I have had to evolve my or change my leadership style based on the circumstances that I was faced with.
Although I have had to adopt some characteristics or traits from other leadership styles I believe my core leadership style would be considered transformational leadership. Based on what I know about myself and what I have learned from others is that I am currently a transformational leader, but I desire to be a better transformational leader. What is a Transformational Leader? Transformational leadership is a type of leadership style that leads to changes in those who follow.
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A leader who is transformational motivates by transforming the identities and goals of individuals to coincide with those of the group (Lovaglia, Lucas, & Baxter, 2012). Transformational leaders have the innate ability to inspire their followers into action to achieve a common goal. For example during the 2008 presidential campaign Barrack Obama used his transformational leadership style by inspiring many, who had never voted before to get out and vote.
Through his inspirational speeches, grassroots movement to register voters, and his seemingly American Dream come true life story he was able to, for a short period of time inspire and motivate an otherwise jaded and broken country that had been fractured among racial and economic lines for years to believe in and demand change. Transformational leaders are generally energetic, enthusiastic and passionate, and they invoke a since of ownership and pride in their followers.
When faced with a problem or issue within an organization the transformational leader can create relay a message so that it is either accepted with enthusiasm or without contention. Instead of trying to force change on their subordinates the transformational leader creates an atmosphere of even exchanges of thoughts and ideas toward the changes. This type of leader seeks to motivate followers by transforming their conceptions of self and their private goals to coincide with the larger purposes of the group. Rather than working for money, employees work to be part of the success of a larger mission.
The concept of transformational leadership was initially introduced by leadership expert and presidential biographer James MacGregor Burns. According to Burns, transformational leadership can be seen when "leaders and followers make each other to advance to a higher level of moral and motivation. " Through the strength of their vision and personality, transformational leaders are able to inspire followers to change expectations, perceptions and motivations to work towards common goals. Later, researcher Bernard M. Bass expanded upon Burns original ideas to develop what is today referred to as Bass’ Transformational Leadership Theory.
According to Bass, transformational leadership can be defined based on the impact that it has on followers. Transformational leaders, Bass suggested, garner trust, respect and admiration from their followers. Bass suggested that there are four components of a transformational leadership which are intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration, inspirational motivation and idealized influence. Intellectual stimulation is when the leader encourages their followers to be creativity, the followers is encouraged to explore new ways of doing things.
Recognizing that all followers are not the same is an important aspect of a transformational leader’s influence, offering support and encouragement to individual followers, that leads to an increased since of accomplishment and self-esteem is considered individualized consideration. Inspirational motivation is when the leader can invoke the same passion and enthusiasm that they have about a vision and goal, in their followers. On January 20, 1961 President John F. Kennedy inspired and an entire county with one sentence from his inaugural speech “ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country”.
This important quote inspired Americans to take action and make changes during the 1960’s the country changed the way it looked at civil rights, women’s liberation and war. Idealized influence is the same as leading by example, because followers trust and respect the leader they tend to model their behavior and actions after the leader and began to internalize and adopt the leader’s ideas. Modern Day Transformational Leader A good example of a modern day transformational leader is Bill Gates, former chief executive and current chairman of Microsoft, the world’s largest personal-computer software company, which he co-founded with Paul Allen.
Bill Gates can be considered a transformational leader because he is regarded by his followers as an expert and visionary in his field, also has gained respect and credibility based on his past management experience. Through his philanthropic work and can do attitude he leads by example. Transformational leaders build trust in their leadership and attainability of their goals through an image of seemingly unshakable self-confidence, strength of moral conviction, personal example and self-sacrifice, and unconventional tactics or behavior.
They are perceived to have unusual insight and ability to act in a manner consistent with their vision and values. Gates has managed to display most of the characteristics of a transformational leader. Why I selected this Leadership style? The reason I chose transformational leadership as my desired leadership style because this leadership style is most aligned with my natural personality according to the traits of a transformational leader. I strive to be a transformational leader because transformational leaders in my experience are the most successful and have more respect and loyalty from their followers.
Transformational leaders have the ability to make an impact on not only organizational growth but also the personal and professional growth of those that work for and with them. I want to be a transformational leader because I want to be a solution to the problem instead of complaining about or being part of the problem and I want to guide people to do the same. I live by the old adage “if you’re not part of the solution you are part of the problem”. Transformational leaders are part of the solution. Important Values
The values I feel are important for me to model the transformational leadership style are adaptability, openness, enthusiasm, and morality. Adaptability is an important value for a transformational leader to have because they must adapt their leadership style to the different personalities, needs, and skills of their team. Act as a mentor or a coach more so than a boss. Assign and delegate work based on talents and interests, but also challenge their comfort zones. This was the value I struggle with the most because I am stubborn and I am at tine relentless in my beliefs and I sometime refuse to bend.
In order for a transformational leaders to transform effectively they need to foster innovation by challenging assumptions about what can and cannot be done. React to mistakes and failures in a way that shows that risk-taking is condoned. Give support, provide resources, and remove barriers to change. Approach problems as learning opportunities. By showing that there is value in independent thinking and reward people who challenge. By allowing an atmosphere that promotes creativity and inspires change a leader has to be open to idea’s that are different.
In order to guide a team in the direction the leader needs the group to go is by measuring and monitoring results in order to even began to inspire anytime of inspirational a leader needs to start with setting a vision, strategy, and goals. Then motivate them to bring their best by expressing the leader’s passion, by communicating with confidence and optimism, and connecting tasks to a greater purpose. It is important for a leader to have morals and lead by example, and act with integrity and ethical standards; with both behaviors and words.
Just as small children mimic and emulate their parents, subordinates will take note of what their leader does and use it as a template for how they act and behave. It happens automatically and subconsciously, whether the behavior is positive or negative—people will follow a leader’s example. Model of a Transformational Leader In order to model the transformational leadership style there are certain skills competencies, experiences, knowledge and traits that a person needs to possess.
According to the Piedmont Resources group a Real Estate consulting group and Small Business Advisor a transformational leader should possess 5 skills. Those skills are communicate vision and goals clearly and without uncertainty, being able to listen, collaborate and empower, build relationships, provide intellectual stimulation, and lead by example. In order for people to follow a leader a leader must be able to set the road map for the trip the group is about to take. A true leader provides a clear direction with confidence and certainty.
Hearing a massage and listening to a message are not the same thing, they are not hearing is a biological process that can be scientifically explained, listening is a psychological phenomenon. Listening is the ability to process what you here. When a leader listens to their followers there collaboration becomes effective and then the leader can empower followers to create change. Relationship building is a given part of the leader and subordinate roles. Building Relationships that Work helps you revitalize the relationships that affect the quality and profitability of your business.
It goes beyond strategies for influencing the behavior of others to provide a process for creating clear communications, effective collaboration, and relationships that achieve results (http://executiveeducation. wharton. upenn. edu, 2013). Transformational leaders stimulate the efforts of their followers as regards innovativeness and creativity, stimulate permanent reexamination of the existent assumptions, stimulate change in the way of thinking about problems, and plead the use of analogy and metaphor.
The last and most important skill needed by a transformational leader is the ability to lead by example a transformational leader needs to show followers the correct behavior by modeling appropriate actions. For me I am fulfilling my dream of being a leader in my company. I feel that I possess most of the qualities of a transformational leader. My only problem is that I have I am fairly new and I do not have an extensive leadership background that is needed to be a strong transformational leader. I think that I possess all of the skills needed to be a transformational leader.
In fact I was just evaluated 2 weeks ago by our company’s Vice President and I was complimented on being and effective and enthusiastic leader who turned a struggling team around. Conclusion Transformational leaders are individuals who with their own knowledge, imaginations and ability to influence the behavior of people, make conditions for transforming. The key to being a successful transformational leader is producing real change through people to achieve the company’s ultimate goal through inspiration rather than fear, intrinsic rewards rather than monetary rewards and creating an atmosphere of innovation.
References
http://executiveeducation.wharton.upenn.edu. (2013, July 13). Retrieved from The Wharton School :Aresty Institute of Executive Education: http://executiveeducation.wharton.upenn.edu/for-individuals/all-programs/building-relationships-that-work Lovaglia, M. J., Lucas, J. W., & Baxter, A. (2012). The Transforming Leader: New Approaches To Leadership For The Twenty-First Century. (C. S. Pearson, Ed.) San Francisco, California: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. Shriberg, D., & Shriberg, A. (2010). Practicing Leadership Principles and applications. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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