Practicing the Four Pillars of Transformational Leadership Successfully
Transformational leadership centres on leaders who work alongside their employees and form close-knit ties with the workforce. This helps them seek out what change needs to be implemented so as to benefit the company and they can use inspiration to implement that change efficiently.
A committed leadership forms between the boss and employee ensuring high motivation and job satisfaction. However, this style is not easily imitated and needs dedication. To ensure your leadership is based on the transformational style, you need to hold these four pillars of transformational leadership with high regard.
1. Idealized Influence
Idealized influence is when a leader uses his personality and morality to influence his/her relationship with employees positively. This can be done by following a set of values, ethical principles, morals and taking rational risks. This builds lasting relationships and causes employees to respect the leader. If they look up to the leader as a role model and identify with him, it is easier for the leader to influence them and shape change efficiently.
2. Inspirational Motivation
As a transformational leader, it is vital that you concentrate on motivating your employees to keep their satisfaction and productivity high. Employees who are inspired to actually believe in the leader and his message will stick by him/her and work their best to complete the firm’s goals. Satisfied and motivated employees are also highly loyal to the firm and this can go a long way due to low turnover and subtracted the cost of hiring and training new employees.
Remember, this pillar requires superb communication skills to charm and inspire employees and a high sense of optimism to point out the positives with enthusiasm.
3. Intellectual Stimulation
As a transformational leader, it is important to make your employees feel valued by taking their opinions and suggestions into account. You must encourage creativity and intelligence in your employees so that they can be part of the decision making process. This will ensure better solutions and a greater sense of responsibility. An employee who feels part of the bigger picture and is recognised will always be motivated to try harder at his job. This can also increase a sense of teamwork which can create a communal feeling of belonging.
4. Individualized Consideration
As every person is unique and motivated by different things like money, health benefits, work environment, travel costs, etc it is important to know your employee better. By doing this you can recognise their needs and use them to keep the employees satisfied at their jobs. This can be done through observation or by keeping a close-knit, but professional, relationship with the workforce. This will help in training them and allowing them to fulfil their potentials.
Transformational leadership style can work to keep employees at your firm happy and motivated to keep working hard. A workforce which feels that their company cares about them and values them will stay loyal and work to focus on the mission itself.
