Have you ever been a part of a group where the leader takes charge of the situation by painting a clear vision of the group’s goals and shows their ability to make the group motivated and energized? There is a name for this type of leadership — and it is called a transformational leadership style.
Transformational leadership style is easily one of the best leadership styles for a lot of reasons. One, it inspires positive changes to the rest of the group. A transformational leader has the drive to find ways that can keep the entire staff on the same page with their common vision. As a result, it can make positive changes toward each other’s relationship as well as achieving their vision easier.
In this article, we will explore everything you need to know about transformational leadership style, including its meaning and a step-by-step guide on how you can become one.
What is a transformational leadership style?
Transformational leadership style is a leadership style in which a leader is generally energetic, passionate, and fervent. Transformational leaders encourage and motivate their team to create changes and think creatively, so they can grow and contribute to the future success of the company. They do this by setting a good example through a strong sense of employee ownership, company culture, and freedom in the workplace.
Furthermore, transformational leaders do not micromanage. Rather, they inspire their team by putting their trust in them and letting them take authority over decisions in their assigned tasks. It is one of the best management styles because it gives the team their space to be creative and find solutions to existing problems.
Quick Background on Transformational Leadership Model
The concept of transformational leadership was initially introduced by James V. Downton in 1973. It was later on expanded by James Burns in 1978. According to Burns, transformational leadership is visible when “leaders and followers make each other to advance to a higher level of morale and motivation.”
In 1985, researcher Bernard M. Bass further expanded the concept by including a way to measure the success of transformational leadership, which is now referred to as Bass’s Transformational Leadership Theory.
According to Bass, the transformational leadership style can be defined based on the impact it has on followers. Furthermore, Bass suggested that transformational leaders must accumulate respect, trust, and admiration from their followers.
Components of Transformational Leadership Style
Bass also introduced the four different components of transformational leadership.
1. Individualized Consideration
Transformational leaders care about their individual followers, which is why they offer support and encouragement for them. To foster good relationships with their individual followers, they always keep their lines of communication open. In this way, followers are free to share their ideas while the leader can recognize the unique contributions of each follower.
2. Inspirational Motivation
This type of leadership focus on a clear vision which they articulate to their followers. Transformational leadership means they help their followers achieve the same passion and commitment to achieve their common goals.
3. Intellectual Stimulation
For transformational leaders, it is not enough to just challenge the status quo. Rather, they work hard to also encourage creativity among their followers. They encourage them to find creative ways to solve problems and explore new opportunities to learn.
4. Idealized Influence
This type of leadership style aims to be a role model for their followers. With the trust and respect followers have for their leader, a leader can emulate their ideas to an individual.
Characteristics of Transformational Leadership Style
Bass was able to set apart transformational leaders from other leadership styles by identifying their hallmarks. According to Bass, a transformational leader is someone who:
- Promotes an ethical work environment where values, high standards, and priorities thrive.
- Fosters the inspiration and positive development of followers
- Encourages moral standards within the organization
- Establish a company culture by encouraging employees to switch from an attitude of self-interest to a common good perspective
- Emphasize the importance of open communication, cooperation, and authenticity
- Gives a chance for followers to grow by giving them an option to be coached and mentored
- Someone who is a model of integrity and fairness
Reasons Why Transformational Leadership Style is One of the Best Leadership Styles
1. Many organizations suffer without transformational leadership.
There is a strong relationship between transformational leadership and job characteristics, so expect a negative result in organizations that do not employ it. Remember that transformational tasks encourage positive perception among followers. Therefore, it can lead to the success of the organization.
2. It makes work meaningful.
A transformational leadership style makes work meaningful by providing autonomy. As a result, it makes the followers feel that their work is valued and self-congruent.
3. Transformational leadership style helps employees feel connected to their organization.
Since transformational leaders focus on increasing the self-efficacy of their followers, they feel more determined in their work. Additionally, when they facilitate social identification within the group, it makes them feel like they truly belong to the organization they are in.
4. It contributes to individual growth and development.
A transformational leadership style has a huge impact on individuals’ self-growth. Transformational leaders help turn members into individuals who can accomplish tasks beyond other’s expectations. Apart from this, leaders nurture their followers’ moral development, so they can internalize the same values and principles that they have.
Effects of Transformational Leadership Style
Authors Bass and Riggio explained in their classic text that:
“Transformational leaders…are those who stimulate and inspire followers to both achieve extraordinary outcomes and, in the process, develop their own leadership capacity. Transformational leaders help followers grow and develop into leaders by responding to individual followers’ needs by empowering them and by aligning the objectives and goals of the individual followers, the leader, the group, and the larger organization.”
A transformational leadership style can have a positive effect on the group. That’s because transformational leaders have higher levels of performance and satisfaction compared to other types of leaders. Additionally, they trust their followers to do their best, which leads members to feel empowered and inspired.
How to Become a Transformational Leader
Use these steps to develop your transformational leadership skills.
1. Set a clear and inspiring vision
For people to follow you, they need to have a compelling reason why they should. This is the reason why you must create and convey an inspiring vision for your followers.
Think of your vision as the end-all-be-all of your organization. Your vision is the reason why you all get up in the morning to do what you do. It is the reason why you have early meetings and why you work overtime. In short, your vision sets out your organization or team’s purpose.
To develop a vision, you need to partly understand the values of the people you lead. This means you also have to partly understand the capabilities and resources of your organization by conducting an analysis of your environment.
But how do you develop an inspiring vision?
You can use Mullin’s Seven Domains Model to examine your model. Then, use tools such as Lafley and Martin’s Five-Step Strategy Model to develop the best strategy for your vision.
Make sure that you start with the company’s mission when developing a vision for your team. Additionally, you can explore effective ways where your team can contribute to creating your vision.
2. Convince your people to buy into the vision.
Using your mission statement, you need to appeal to your followers’ values and encourage them to join you in achieving your vision.
A transformational leader does this by using the technique of business storytelling. To practice a transformational leadership style, you need to do this so that your people will appreciate the positive impact of your vision. Keep in mind that your vision should not only help yourself, unless you want nobody to buy into your vision.
Always talk about your vision, and connect it to your followers’ goals and tasks to help you give it context. Additionally, explain to your people why you need their skills to make it happen.
3. Deliver your vision the right way.
A vision is useless unless it becomes reality. Sadly, a lot of leaders fall into the mistake of developing a vision, but not putting enough effort into delivering it.
So how do you manage the delivery of your vision ( the transformational way)? Combine effective project management and sensitive change management. This will help you deliver the changes you need with the help of your people. Make sure that you communicate each team member’s role and responsibilities clearly to avoid misunderstandings in the future. Everyone should understand their responsibilities and how you will judge their success.
Of course, you also need to set SMART goals for everyone to follow, which includes some short-term goals to keep your team motivated.
Additionally, a transformational leadership style thrives on self-discipline. That is why you need to set a good example to your followers,especial;y when they encounter challenges or difficulties in completing their tasks.
Stay visible by checking in with your team member from time to time. This technique helps transformational leaders stay connected with daily activities. Plus, it allows them to answer questions once they arise.
4. Build trust-funded relationships with your people.
When it comes to the transformational leadership style, leaders focus their attention on their people. They also work hard twice as hard to help them achieve their responsibilities.
As for your starting point, feel free to use Dunham and Pierce’s Leadership Process Model. This model is a nice tool that outlines the importance of your people to your leadership success. Moreover, it emphasizes the fact that leadership is not just a short-term process. As a leader, you need to be constantly making efforts to build relationships, earn trust, and help your followers grow.
To strengthen the trust between you and role to your follower, you need to understand their developmental needs. Meet with them individually to find out what they want to achieve in their role. As a leader, it is your role to help them meet their career goals. So be sure to offer them any help they can use to reach their goals.
Another way to build trust with your team is by being open and honest in your interactions. Use the Johari Window to get a better understanding of your people and to share safe personal information about yourself.
Last but not the least, always set aside time to coach your people. Helping them discover creative solutions not only creates a skilled team. It also develops their self-confidence and their trust in your ability to lead.