Embracing Transformational Leadership: Every Contact Matters

Whilst listening to feedback and scoping out concepts with staff to explore and then deliver within my webinar series, one model that had a lot of interest from the aspirational leadership aspect, which reinforces our Compassionate Leadership work is the principle of Transformational Leadership.

This is not a new idea, the theory was described by a sociologist called James V. Downton in the 1970's. It is a model that many have actually practiced for years in elements, but to explain it to those that want to know more, I felt I needed to break it down into componential parts and include how Goleman's 6 styles of leadership interlink into it.

Transformational leadership offers us a powerful approach to developing organisational success and forming a positive workplace culture. This leadership style, grounded in vision, integrity, and empathy, goes beyond management; it’s about understanding individuals, inspiring teams, fostering innovation, and creating an environment where everyone feels needed and noticed.

Every Contact Matters

For me, the heart of transformational leadership starts with a simple ethos - "Every Contact Matters." This has been my guiding ethos for years, and really it underpins every interaction a leader has. Whether that be with team members, end-users (customers, patients, participants), or stakeholders, it carries significant influence.

Leaders set the tone for their organisation through their behaviour, words, and presence. Every action, no matter how small either builds trust and inspires those around them or, conversely, can introduce doubt, creates mistrust and breeds disengagement. Consistency in behaviour is crucial here; it’s the bedrock upon where trust is built and maintained.

The understanding of transformational leadership is further enriched when we consider Daniel Goleman’s six styles of leadership: Visionary, Affiliative, Coaching, Democratic, Pacesetting, and Commanding.

Each of these styles can be strategically applied to support the four I’s of transformational leadership. These being Idealised Influence (leading by example), Inspirational Motivation (the inspiring of a shared vision aspect), Individualised Consideration (where we nurture individuals growth), and finally Intellectual Stimulation (which is where we tap into that innovation element that brings all the gold).

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The Four I’s of Transformational Leadership and Goleman’s Styles of Leadership

Idealised Influence (leading by example):

This component of transformational leadership is about leading by example and embodying the values that you want to see in your team. Here, the Visionary style of leadership is crucial. Visionary leaders articulate a clear, compelling vision of the future, inspiring their teams to align with organisational goals. By setting a clear direction and modelling the behaviours and values they wish to see, leaders not only build trust but also create a sense of purpose among their team members. This approach helps to forge a strong organisational culture where everyone understands the "why" behind their work, leading to greater cohesion and commitment which brings a lot of job satisfaction with is.

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2. Inspirational Motivation (inspiring a shared vision):

Inspirational Motivation involves motivating and inspiring team members to go beyond their immediate self-interests for the greater good of the team and their organisation. The Pacesetting style is particularly effective here, especially with high-performing teams that are already skilled and capable. Pacesetting leaders set high standards and lead by example, pushing their teams to achieve excellence. However, this style should be used consciously by the leader to avoid burning their team out. When combined with the Visionary style, it can galvanise teams to achieve extraordinary results, fostering a culture of shared ownership, high performance and continuous improvement.

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3. Individualised Consideration (nurturing individual growth):

This aspect of transformational leadership focuses on recognising the unique needs and contributions of each respective team member. The Coaching and Affiliative leadership styles are effective here. Coaching focussed leaders invest time in mentoring and developing their individual team members, helping them to build on both aspects of competence and confidence. They provide contextualised personalised feedback, support, and opportunities for growth, ensuring that each individual is able to thrive, not just survive and ultimately reach their full potential. Using the Affiliative style complements this by fostering strong relationships and a supportive work environment where team members feel emotionally secure and valued. Together, these styles create a nurturing environment that promotes individual and collective well-being, which can fundamentally grow team loyalty and benefit retention.

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4. Intellectual Stimulation (fostering innovation):

This facet of transformational leadership encourages creativity and innovation by challenging assumptions and encouraging new perspectives. It helps break free from the constraints of “this is the way we’ve always done things", and move away from traditional thinking for the benefit of the team or wider organisation.

The Democratic style of leadership plays a vital role here. By fostering an environment where team members feel safe to express their ideas and contribute to decision-making, leaders stimulate intellectual growth and collective problem-solving. This style is particularly effective in complex situations where diverse viewpoints are needed to find the best solutions. By involving the team in critical decisions, leaders not only leverage collective intelligence but also enhance the sense of personal ownership and accountability within the team, moving away from the dumping of responsibility upon any challenge which is clearly apparent in any blame-fuelled culture where fear of consequence overshadows the willingness and ability to raise ideas.

Strategic Use of the Commanding Style

While transformational leadership typically emphasises the other leadership styles, it’s important to acknowledge the strategic use of the Commanding style. Although it is generally avoided because of its top-down approach, there are situations where the Commanding style is necessary. In times of crisis or when quick, decisive action is required, the Commanding style can provide the clarity and direction needed to navigate through challenges effectively. However, this style should be reserved for specific situations where immediate compliance is critical, such as a risk to life or significant harm, as overuse will stifle innovation, creativity and erode trust.

My Three C’s: Competence, Confidence, and Choice

During a complex cultural and performance challenge I faced whilst leading a large team in a previous role, I found it difficult to understand individual placing within this performance-fuelled and targets driven environment. Some were able to deliver incredible results, whilst others were struggling just to het their targets on a monthly basis.

To assist me in this, I spoke to all my team individually to understand the challenges they faced. With this, I developed a method of ‘Triaging’ performance and engagement. This is a simplistic idea, which uses a three aspect model to understand where an individual is placed from a performance base within their role, with a view to helping them grow and be at their best, not manage them out! In my view, performance-managing someone out of a role is an absolute failure of leadership and is not an appropriate way to treat another person. ?

Undoubtedly, there will be occasions where an individual has reached the end of their journey within a role and through honesty, coaching and innovation that person can find a place to aim for without being abandoned.

My three essential elements that help to understand and influence performance and engagement are:

Competence, Confidence, and Choice.

Competence:

Leaders need to ask themselves, "Has this person been shown how to do a task or job?" It’s easy to assume that team members know what’s expected of them, but without proper training and guidance, their competence may be undermined. Where a team member has been in a role for a time, we can wrongly assume that they have the competence to carry out the role. In fact, roles evolve and sometimes we don’t see the scope-creep of a task and we don’t check-in with our team to actually see if they understand the requirements of the role.

Using Coaching is paramount here, as it provides the necessary support and instruction to ensure that each team member has the skills and knowledge they need to perform their tasks effectively. Through coaching, leaders can tailor their approach to meet the specific developmental needs of their team members, ensuring that everyone is equipped to succeed.

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Confidence:

The next question is, "Has this person been given constructive feedback on how they are doing this task or job?" Confidence is built through positive reinforcement and constructive feedback. Mentoring approaches are invaluable in this regard, as it offers team members the guidance and encouragement needed to build self-assurance. Matching individuals together (buddying up) where one has demonstrated skill and confidence in a role, can positively impact another’s confidence in carrying out a role with a contextual mentoring basis. ?

By regularly providing feedback and celebrating achievements in an authentic manner, leaders can help team members overcome self-doubt, such as that great anchor - impostor syndrome, and build the confidence needed to excel in their roles.

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Choice:

Finally, leaders must consider, "Does this task or job make this person uncomfortable, or is there another reason for reduced performance?" It’s important to recognise that discomfort or fear of failure can lead to disengagement. Again, impostor syndrome can play a huge part in this where people may disengage where they feel uncomfortable. Understanding the underlying reasons behind a team member’s performance is critical, and influencers here may not be work related. Cultural and appreciation of that person's self-values can add valuable insight into ascertaining the Choice aspect.

In such cases, adopting a ‘Getting On Track’ (GOT) plan can be an effective tool over the traditional ‘Performance Improvement Plan’, which helps to address specific challenges and providing a clear path for improvement. Using tools such as SMART objectives, or STEPPPA coaching ideas, including offering 1-1 support and flexibility, leaders can empower team members to take control of their performance and make informed choices that align with their strengths and aspirations. This method means that the individual does not feel they are on the ’Stage1’ of any formal process (unless formal processes are in fact in place and been explained) and risk further disengagement.

It must be said here, that this system will only work if you have authentic honesty with the team members, as there is a significant psychological safety risk element where probing performance from a hierarchical aspect can put people into threat mode, and in my experience, if people feel unsafe to share their vulnerabilities within performance, they will hide one or all of the 3 C’s.

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The Importance of Consistency in Leadership

Consistency in leadership behaviour is vital for maintaining the integrity of transformational leadership. As with the elements of our own Compassionate Leadership Approach, using our three-pronged method of Listening with Curiosity, Including with Care and Acting with Courage help us to demonstrate to the wider community that everyone is indeed needed, and noticed which builds trust and proves intent to act on sometimes difficult issues.

It must be remembered that every action, decision, and interaction contributes to the overall perception of that respective leader and ultimately, the organisational culture. When leaders consistently demonstrate the values of integrity, empathy, and respect, they build a foundation of trust that permeates throughout that organisation. This trust is essential for creating a psychologically safe environment where team members feel empowered to take risks, share ideas, and engage fully in their work. The Thrive, not Survive ideal!

Contrary to this, inconsistency in leadership can quickly undermine trust and lead to a lasting culture of uncertainty and disengagement. When leaders fail to align their actions with their words or apply their leadership styles inconsistently, they risk creating confusion and eroding the confidence of their teams. Therefore, leaders must be mindful of the impact of their behaviour and strive to maintain a consistent approach that reinforces the values and vision of the organisation.

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Leading with Every Contact in Mind

Transformational leadership is more than just a leadership style; it’s ultimately a commitment to making a positive impact with every single interaction. By adopting the ethos of 'Every Contact Matters', and integrating Goleman’s leadership styles within the framework of the four I’s, leaders can grow quickly a culture of trust, innovation, and accountability. Consistency is key. When leaders act with integrity and empathy in every contact, they lay the foundation for a brighter future, where every team member has the opportunity to thrive.

Christopher Martin CMgr FCMI FIoL FIEP