We’ve endured some difficult times over the past two years. As our world slowly climbs out of the pandemic phase of COVID, we will begin to face many of the consequences of the coronavirus response. Two years of lockdown policies combined with out-of-control government spending will start to take its toll on our society. Our country and world will need tough, determined leaders who can empower those around them to reach higher heights to navigate these turbulent times. Make no mistake. If there is ever a moment in history when the world required transformational leadership, it’s right now. Read on to learn more about the THREE qualities of transformational leadership.
Transformational leaders have high character and strive for virtue.
Experts now agree that virtue and leadership are irrevocably linked. Virtue does not mean perfection. Wisdom has a byproduct of humility. A virtuous person commits to the process of tearing down and building themselves up so that they can grow. A person of high character is a humble learner. They admit their mistakes and their limitations, and they welcome constructive feedback. People with high character live a life they can be proud of and are driven to make an eternal difference in their sphere of influence.
Transformational leaders are empathetic.
To comprehend empathy’s role in leadership, we first need to clearly understand genuine empathy. People often confuse empathy with sympathy. Being empathetic does not mean that you always agree with or relate to another person’s feelings. However, what empathy really means is being able to connect with the needs of others. It means that you are aware of other people’s feelings and how it impacts their perception. It doesn’t mean you will always agree with how they see things. Instead, being empathetic means that you are willing and able to appreciate what the other person is going through. Empathy is necessary for cultivating relationships and serves as the glue in high-functioning organizations. A transformational leader shares a solid connection with those in their organization, and like all relationships, the relationship between the leader and followers requires empathy. Empathetic leaders can boost the character of those around them. They are good encouragers. They listen well. They lead within the team, not upfront. Finally, they show genuine interest in those around them.
“No one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.”
― Theodore Roosevelt
“Sometimes all a person wants is an empathetic ear; all he or she needs is to talk it out. Just offering a listening ear and an understanding heart for his or her suffering can be a big comfort.”
― Roy T. Bennett
“Resolve to be tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and the wrong. Sometime in life, you will have been all of these.”
― George Washington Carver
Transformational leaders are servant leaders.
When examining your personal leadership style, it’s essential to inventory what leadership tool you rely on most. Leaders typically utilize one or more of these techniques when exercising their influence within their organization, their homes, and/or their social circle.
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- Force
- Intimidation
- Manipulation
- Position-People follow because you have the position.
- Exchange
- Persuasion
- Respect
What most often happens in leadership is that a person either becomes a transactional leader or a transformational leader. Transactional leaders are all about “the leader’s”leader’s” agenda and typically rely on the leader/follower exchange. Transactional leaders believe that most people come together out of self-interest, not common interest, so force, intimidation, and manipulation are always considered. A transactional leader relies on their position as the organization’s guiding force.
A transformational leader strives to cultivate genuine mutual respect. You have a vision that is accomplished, and you have people that are changed. Transformational leaders have a strong desire to see followers evolve into leaders. Transformational leaders become moral change agents in their environment. Jim Elliott, a missionary who was killed while trying to evangelize the Huaorani people of Ecuador, said this. “I don’t want to be a mile marker in someone else’s life. I want to be a fork in the road.” That’s what a transformational leader strives for.
My prayer for each person reading this blog post is this. I pray that you will experience four things in your life journey.
- I pray that you will KNOW GOD intimately. We can’t begin to live the life that God intended us to live until we know Him personally. Jesus paved the way for us to draw near to God through what He accomplished on the cross.
- I pray that you will find freedom from your past. So often, many are unable to position themselves to be the hands and feet of Jesus because they are unable to break free from their past. We all have baggage that tends to hold us back from reaching our God-given potential. It’s only when we receive what Jesus did for us personally and then walk our faith journey out in relationship with other Christ-followers will be able to break away from the addictions and habits of the past.
- I pray that you will discover your purpose. God created every single one of us ON PURPOSE and FOR A PURPOSE. We aren’t here to just consume oxygen. God has uniquely positioned each of us with gifts and abilities that we can use to glorify Him.
- I pray that you will discover your purpose to make an eternal difference. Being a transformational leader means utilizing God’s design to dictate God’s destiny for our lives. The world is full of hurting people, and God calls His people to be those leaders who can be that fork in the road for another person.
God bless!
Bill
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