Transforming the Workplace: Leaders Lead by Example

A transformational leader acts as a catalyst for innovation in organizations and for change in individuals. Transformational leadership is about implementing new ideas; these individuals continually change themselves; they stay flexible and adaptable; and continually improve those around them. Recall that President Obama was called a transformational leader by former Secretary of State Colin Powell who served under former President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2005.

In my last blog I addressed the qualities of a successful leader. In this blog I deal with transformational leaders in the workplace. Transformational leaders must have a vested role in strategic planning to accomplish their goal of change. They should adopt the view that shareholders are best served when the organization fully meets the needs of its customers: value for money; providing a quality product; on-time delivery; and responsiveness. In other words, treat your customers as you would want to be treated – it’s the old Golden Rule.

James McGregor Burns wrote a Pulitzer Prize winning book titled Leadership that describes qualities of transformational leaders in different fields of endeavors ranging from the military, to business, to politics. Here they are:

Charisma. This is one of those leadership qualities that are hard to define; like beauty, you know it when you experience it.

Vision. This involves the creation of a compelling picture of the future, a desired future state that people identify with. By creating this vision, the leader provides a means for people to develop commitment, a common goal around which to rally, and a way for people to feel successful. 

Intellectual stimulation. Transformational leaders show new ways of looking at old problems, they challenge the existing boundaries and the mental constraints that people develop for themselves.

Inspiration.  To inspire is difficult; it is as much a psychological force as one of motivation.  

According to a study conducted by the Baldridge organization that awards the annual Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award, what is missing from transformational leaders are the motivations and attitudinal patterns that make for success. These include a collaborative leader who follows a team-based approach; a patient approach to decision-making because changing a culture takes time; an ability to reflect on the past and use experience to make decisions and develop strategies for achieving competitive advantage; follow through and accountability; using detailed information to understand the internal and external environments and develop proactive strategies to succeed in today's complex and dynamic global environment; and transformational leaders have a high degree of personal humility and use their team to learn from experience and develop comprehensive strategies and plans that address the complexities of achieving and sustaining high performance.

In my experience I have found that a transformational leader is one who models ethical behavior. He or she establishes an ethical tone at the top. Employees want to work for an organization and leader they believe in, respect, trust, and fully expect to be treated fairly in the performance evaluation system. Without such a foundation, I do not think a transformational leader can get very far. I have been around “leaders” all my life who follow a policy of do what I say, not what I do. This tends to create a cynical environment in the workplace.

Blog posted by Steven Mintz, aka Ethics Sage, on January 17, 2012