This article defines transformational leadership and the three major activities in which transformational leaders engage. It also discusses the three key attributes and capabilities of such leaders including advanced ego development, intuitive thinking, and mutual engagement.
What is Transformational Leadership?
Transformational leadership is a much used and widely misunderstood term. James MacGregor Burns, a respected scholar and authority on leadership, used it in 1978 to describe leaders who “engage with others in such a way that leaders and followers raise one another to higher levels of motivation and morality.” Together they shape a common purpose and use their respective power to achieve it. As they work towards this shared vision those involved discover and employ a more highly developed self. Many mis-use the term transformational leader to describe those who lead and achieve change although not necessarily on behalf of a higher moral purpose or in a way that lifts both leader and follower to a better self.
What do transformational leaders do?
Transformational leaders apprehend the future, see and articulate a compelling vision for what is possible, and ignite in others the enthusiasm and energy to make that vision a reality. Transformational leaders achieve the vision by employing a specific set of capabilities and attributes that call forward the best in others.
Before describing these capabilities, a word about the environment in which these leaders operate today. The world has become considerably more complex and globally focused since the 1970’s when Burns wrote about transformational leadership. The heroic leader who sees a problem or an opportunity and develops a solution on his own or with a few like-minded others is a story of the past. Today’s world calls for a post-heroic leader collaborating with multiple stakeholders whose collective views are critical to understand and solve complex problems that require new ways of thinking.
Attributes and Capabilities
Transformational leaders have widely varying personalities and styles but they share common attributes in the areas of ego development, intuitive thinking, and the capacity for mutual engagement with others.
Ego Development
The basis of transformational leadership and the foundation for actions is an advanced stage of ego development. These leaders have moved beyond the need to establish their own identity and are focused on a larger purpose. Their intentions and actions, therefor, are not motivated by the need for personal achievement, satisfaction, gratification or the admiration of others. This creates great trust because others see the leader as serving the larger good. In addition, because the leader’s ego does not have to be satisfied she has the flexibility to see and do what is called for. She is able to avoid doing things that serve her ego and get in the way. Bill Clinton comes to mind. He was a potentially powerful leader whose ego needs led to his downfall and distracted him and others from achieving important national and international goals.
Intuitive Thinking
To apprehend the future transformational leaders consider a broad and far reaching horizon. In doing so they see threads of information that do not yet present an obvious and meaningful whole. They employ intuitive thinking to fill in the gaps and weave these threads into a cohesive picture of what is unfolding. Dialogue with others to explore what they see and how they make meaning of it is also part of the process. This picture of the future creates the context for the vision.
Mutual Engagement
Transformational leaders advocate for a vision and engage others to help shape it. The leader is like a master sculptor who provides the clay or substance to be shaped. He also presents a basic form and describes the essence of the creation, but others are involved in determining the finished product.
This type of engagement requires collaboration with and among stakeholders, including followers. But how does the leader create such collaboration? It rests on mutuality, a way of relating that takes into account two entities – self and other(s). It then creates a third shared entity in which a new possibility emerges, one that benefits all. Mutuality calls for deeply open and honest dialogue and the ability to advocate for and to be willing to let go of one’s perspective and preferred solution. When mutuality is part of the process collaboration ensues. Passions are ignited and energy is directed because people have been engaged in creating the solutions. Their needs have been accounted for, but they have created a solution that goes beyond individual needs, and in the process they have developed a better self. Satisfying one’s needs is exactly and only that – satisfying. Developing a better self and working towards shared purpose is fulfilling.