10 Essential Qualities of Transformational Leaders

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Passionate, energetic, enthusiastic, genuine — these are some of the terms used to describe transformational leaders. These leaders are focused on helping not only the group achieve its goals but also each team member.

Learn to be a transformational leader by implementing the following into your daily life:

Understand your leadership style

Your strengths and weaknesses distinguish your style of leadership. You need to know what you are good at and where need some improvement. You can find out by taking a leadership style quiz.

This test will help you identify the major facets of your leadership style and assess if they are hindering or advancing your leadership role.

Encourage creativity

A Transformational leader knows how to stimulate the intellect of their followers. They encourage them to express their ideas, and to be creative and innovative. They will not only provide their followers with new challenges but will be available to offer them guidance and support to overcome these challenges and achieve their goals.

You should make sure that the goals are realistic and attainable while still stretching the limits of each person without becoming a barrier to success.

You are a role model

Transformational leadership is about becoming an influential individual that the rest look up to. Those in leadership positions should exemplify what they advocate for through their character and behavior.

It is from seeing such traits that the group members will strive to emulate what they admire about their leaders. To become a transformational leader, you will need to mold within you the qualities you want to see in your team members.

Be Passionate

It is hard to go to someone for guidance if that person does not care about the goals of the group or its members. A great leader should not only focus on completing tasks but should also show a passion for the work in general.

Show that you care about the group’s progress and appreciate everyone's contributions. Setting goals can help with this.

Listen and communicate effectively

Transformational leadership strives to establish effective communication within the group at a collective and individualized level. Show that you care about what each member has to say. And, remember to express it verbally and nonverbally.

Enrolling in the best public speaking classes in NYC can help you develop your skills further.

You should also make sure that all channels of communication stay open. You want your followers' voices to be heard and their contributions and achievements to be recognized and valued.

Face-to-face communication tend to be a more effective way to build strong connections with your audience. Improving oratory skills can significantly boost your confidence when performing in front of people. Developing practical skills during workshops for public speaking will allow you to present your ideas in an organized and reasonable manner and make your speech more powerful. These practical training programs are a great way to improve your speaking and presentation skills as you will be using a variety of exercises and real-life examples in terms of presenting lectures, debating and expressing your opinions, etc.

Have a positive attitude

Your position demands that you be an upbeat individual with an optimistic attitude. This way you can be a source of inspiration for others. If leaders come across as apathetic and negative, they will not be able to inspire anything.

As their leader, you should strive to uplift your group when they feel discouraged. Stay positive and let it be known. It will help them become upbeat and hopeful even as they face challenges.

Encourage people to participate actively

Let your group know everyone is welcome to express their opinions and ideas. Show that you advocate for democracy and for each team member to be active.

But even then, the leader should make it known that he or she has the last say.

Motivate your followers

Transformational leadership focuses on offering inspirational motivation by encouraging group members to be active. The good thing is that you can do more than give motivational speeches when trying to motivate your followers.

Be passionate about receiving ideas and genuine when setting goals. It will help your group members feel like part of the decision process. You will achieve this by recognizing people's input and, at times, rewarding their accomplishments.

Offer rewards and recognition

As a transformational leader, you should know how to give recognition to your followers’ contributions and reward their accomplishments. It helps to make them feel valued and appreciated, making them strive to be productive.

By offering guidance, leaders encourage their group members to feel happier, and this goes a long way into making the team successful.