Transformational Leadership Video

A good leader is easy to spot. 

His or her team members are successful, highly motivated, fiercely loyal, and prepared to go the extra mile to get the job done. But how exactly do you become such a leader, so that you can take your team to the highest level? This is where transformational leadership comes in. 

If you practice transformational leadership, you'll be able to motivate people to reach their goals – and more. They'll push themselves beyond their usual limits and feel a great sense of job satisfaction. 

To start, follow these four steps. Step one is about creating an inspiring vision for your team. Your team will want to follow you if it sees that it can be part of a great future with you. So, take a look at your organization's mission statement, vision statement, and business plan, and think about how your people can contribute in a way that's meaningful and compelling to them. (If you're a senior leader, it's down to you to do some serious strategy work to develop an inspiring and worthwhile plan for your whole organization!) 

Don't assume team members will automatically buy into and deliver the vision. Instead, find a way to motivate them to do so. Business storytelling is a powerful tool here. Is there a success story relating to your vision that will help your team visualize the future? 

Talk about your vision often, and link it to people's daily goals and tasks. This shows the team that it's part of something bigger, and that it owns the vision too. 

Step three involves you managing the delivery of the vision, day to day. Be sensitive about introducing change to the team, and set a good example by being hardworking and resilient yourself, just as you'd like to see in others. Communicate each person's roles and responsibilities clearly and give regular feedback. Practice Managing by Wandering Around, so you're accessible to your people and can answer their questions as they arise. 

Long-term successful leadership can be yours by, finally, following step four: building an ever-stronger team, based on trust. Meet regularly with individual members of your team to understand their development needs and to help them meet their career goals. Set aside time to coach your team. Enabling people to find their own solutions to problems improves their self-confidence, and their trust in you. 

Then build trust further by being open and honest in your interactions and disclosing safe personal information. 

You, your team and your organization will all benefit when you adopt transformational leadership. You'll likely see increased efficiency, innovative ideas, and personal and business growth. And your people will become confident, enthusiastic and loyal. 

For more information about transformational leadership, see the article   that accompanies this video.