Embodying Transformational Leadership: Moving Beyond Wisdom to Impactful Action
Recently, a webinar guest asked me a powerful question: how can they move from leadership wisdom to impactful action? They even asked what they could read to improve their leadership skills. While reading and education are essential to leadership development, they are not enough on their own. The key is to embody leadership, learning, and education. To do that, we first need to have a great model of leadership.
Enter the transformational leadership model from Bass and Avolio, which includes four key traits: Idealized Influence, Inspirational Motivation, Individualized Consideration, and Intellectual Stimulation.
What impactful leadership does is consider everyone as a leader. These traits all begin with I and have to do with the other.
Did you know if we call someone a follower their behaviour automatically is reduced?
Often people have a propensity to bring one of these aspects of transformational leadership traits to the table.
If you have the propensity to be a:
Values based leader focused on “Idealized Influence”
Bring in considering people as individuals. Consider: what do people need as individuals to feel supported and find meaning at work.
Inspirational Leader focused on “Inspirational Motivation”
Bring in the intellectual stimulation - ask the team questions.
Artistic Leader focused on “Individualized Consideration”
Bring in values based leadership to ensure consistency.
Wisdom Leader focused on “Intellectual Stimulation”
Bring in inspirational motivation – get people to really be inspired into living into their personal aims at work.
Impactful leadership requires more than just embodying these traits. It's about considering everyone as a leader. Work to embody all the traits of a transformational leader. Consider all of the leadership attributes and apply them to your leadership style to be present with what is needed.
Here are some questions to help you embody impactful leadership:
- Are you open to learning?
- What is your leadership style?
- Invite in the aspects of transformational leadership that you may not be using to fully compliment your leadership gifts.
Ultimately, embodying transformational leadership means actively living and breathing leadership principles, rather than just knowing them.