The Transformational Leadership Handbook

Transformational leadership is a style of leadership that inspires, supports, and guides employees toward a shared purpose and vision. Learn more here.

Key Takeaways:

• Transformational leadership is one of the eight basic styles of leadership.
• It is the best style for businesses that need massive change and complete overhauls.
• Leaders must have specific skills to fulfill the characteristics of this style.

Transformational leaders inspire and motivate. They show their teammates how to take the world by storm and achieve their highest goals. Not everyone is suited or prepared to be a transformational leader, however.

There are other types of leaders, such as laissez-faire, bureaucratic, and strategic, and they all have specific advantages. But when companies want to instill lasting and meaningful change, they seek out transformational leaders.

During my personal transformation, I realized the importance of this type of leadership when most of my team members asked me how to start their personal journeys, and we were all looking for a way to incorporate it into our work.

I could see what we needed as a team because I knew what I needed. Motivation. Inspiration. An authentic belief in my own capabilities. A profitable outlet to make a positive impact on the world.

In this article, we’ll take a look at the definition of a transformational leader, what that means in the workplace, and how to strengthen your transformational leadership skills.

Transformation leadership 101: The basics

Transformational leaders help big changes occur in an organization. They motivate teams to shoot for a unified vision that benefits the whole company. These leaders create groups of people who see the greater good and will go above and beyond to get it. Like me — and I’m betting like you.

Transformational leaders help businesses surpass their current capabilities, performance, and positioning with visionary thinking, the capacity to take on complex problems, and the courage to make tough choices.

Traits of transformational leadership

There are a few common essential traits in all great transformational leaders. They include:

Self-awareness

They always want to be learning and growing and want the people around them to learn and grow, too. That takes a lot of introspection, deep thought, and, typically, time alone. They use their reflections to set better goals and better understand how they affect the people around them.

Open-mindedness

Transformational leaders must be forward thinkers. They must be open to fresh perspectives and new ideas to keep the business in the best form. They consider feedback from various sources before making a decision that affects the company.

Adaptable and innovative

These leaders understand the fluidity of business and the importance of adaptability. Changing business dynamics requires a leader who knows how to stay ahead of the curve and isn’t afraid to shake things up, even if that’s how it’s always been.

Proactive

This type of leader doesn’t wait around. They are go-getters who make bold decisions. They set examples that others can follow.

Humility

Transformational leaders don’t have all the answers, and they admit it. They are talented, confident leaders who can keep their egos in check and the highest good of the company upfront.

Many people have these traits. The key is strengthening them and the other skills of transformational leadership.

Strengthen your transformational leadership skills

Successful leaders constantly improve their skills, no matter what their leadership style. Being a great transformational leader means keeping your mental skills sharp and an eye trained to growth opportunities.

A few of the most effective ways to keep your skills sharp include:

Emotional mastery

Transformational leaders arouse emotions in their teammates but must simultaneously keep theirs in check. Slightly detaching from the situation helps achieve a broader perspective and see industry shifts and new trends before they happen.

Mistakes as fuel

Making a mistake is a learning experience. It can be a valuable tool — if you know how to use it. Examine the flub and use your communication skills and empathy to determine what needs improvements and how to make your systems more efficient.

When your team has a setback, think of it as a learning tool that just puts you a little further ahead in the game than you were.

Collective vision

Finding ways that your team can come together as a united group for a collective effort provides impressive results. Martin Luther King, Jr., was a transformational leader who shared his message of peace and equality in this way. The key is to find this collective goal together. It has to be important for everyone to make a difference.

Embrace the whole company

It’s easy to make all the essential company decisions based on the key players’ needs and wants. That’s often what seems important at first glance, but dig a little deeper, and you’ll find that the company’s outer fringes hold the most sway.

Touching base with employees at every level provides the most realistic view of the best decision for the company as a whole.

Role model status

Keep in mind that transformative leaders are always role models. They are always on stage and in the forefront of their team’s eye. Show confidence, optimism, and decisiveness. Guarantee a lively, energetic environment when you demonstrate steadfast belief in the company’s vision and implementation.

The business world changes as fast as the rest of the big blue marble we live on. We have to grow and change with it to keep up. Keeping your skills sharp and relevant is the best way to do that.

Business leaders who want their companies to grow, prosper, and improve the world around them must use a leadership style that fosters their objectives. Transformational leaders are perfect for the job.

Start your transformational leadership journey today

Being a good leader first means being a good person. It starts with loving yourself. Setting out on a quest for personal growth is one of the most caring and most productive things you can do for yourself. I base my teachings on what I’ve found to be true about personal transformation and how it affects every part of life. Please have a look at my LinkedIn and Twitter pages to see what personal transformation looks like firsthand and learn what it can do for you!