The Gap Between Leadership Development and Transformational Leadership Capability

Melanie Bedggood | CEO Growth Development | Transformational Leadership & Change Expert

Leadership development is often seen as a key factor to organisational success, but are we focusing on the right outcomes? It is not just about upskilling individuals, it is about enhancing leadership capability to drive real, transformational change. Today, I thought it would be interesting to explore the gap between developing leaders and enhancing leadership capability to achieve desired change. Whether the priority is culture improvement, staff retention, increasing productivity, or leading through significant business change and transformation priorities, it is essential to approach leadership development with a clear understanding of why we are upskilling our leaders. What are the results we want from this? What challenges do we expect them to be better equipped to tackle through this professional development? There is currently a significant gap between the investment in leadership development (output) and the actual return on this investment (outcome). This is not to say that leadership development will not positively impact the development of leaders. However, if the focus is solely on leadership development rather than on enhancing leadership capability to tackle specific priorities, we may be investing in our leaders as individuals rather than recognising them as the critical part of our organisation that they are—crucial to our capability to achieve our goals.

So, where does transformational leadership fit in? Transformational leadership involves selecting the right ingredients and understanding how they interact within the broader system. It is not just about following the latest trends or fads in leadership; instead, transformational leadership is about understanding the unique combination of leadership capabilities that create the environmental conditions that will unleash the potential of your team or organisation’s people. Just as a recipe requires careful selection and combination of ingredients to create a delicious dish, transformational leadership requires a holistic focus on what you are seeking to create. It involves integrating various components, such as vision, culture, and psychological safety, to create an environment where everyone can thrive.

Transformational leadership development goes beyond a surface-level focus on upskilling. Instead, it focuses on equipping leaders to know how to create the environmental conditions that fundamentally alter how the organisation can respond to the humanistic needs of its people, unleashing their potential to perform as a collective. Herein lies the significant difference between transformational leadership and traditional leadership. Transformational leadership requires leaders to elevate the organisation and its members. These leaders must create the interrelated conditions that motivate and challenge employees to exceed their own expectations and achieve higher levels of performance as a collective. Understanding that transformational leadership’s focus is on creating the conditions for success is the most fundamental difference from traditional leadership. It emphasises the importance of cultivating an environment where team members feel empowered, supported, and motivated to contribute to the organisation’s vision. Transformational leadership extends its focus far beyond the individual skills of leaders, emphasising instead the broader organisational culture and change climate.

The Essential Takeaways

Transformational leadership is not just a buzzword, it is a powerful approach that can reshape your organisation’s future. By focusing on creating the right conditions for your team, you empower them to achieve their fullest potential, which, in turn, drives the entire organisation forward. Rather than merely developing leaders in isolation, transformational leadership integrates their growth with the broader organisational goals, leading to sustainable and meaningful change. When leaders understand how to align their development with the needs of their people and the overarching goals of the organisation, that is when true transformation begins.

Exclusive Opportunity: The Transformational Leadership 101 NZ University Tour

For the first and last time, Melanie Bedggood will be the Lead Facilitator for the Transformational Leadership 101 one day course being delivered via the 2024 University Tour by Growth Development, across the North Island in New Zealand from October to November 2024. This vital course is designed to equip leaders at all levels with the foundational insights needed to drive meaningful transformational change within their teams and organisations. Whether you are an experienced leader or an emerging one, this tour offers a one day certified course that provides a comprehensive look at the principles and practices of transformational leadership. Do not miss this chance to engage directly with global transformational leadership and change industry thought leader Melanie Bedggood, network with likeminded peers, and take your leadership development to the next level. For more information and to register for the tour, please visit Transformational Leadership 101 University Tour Page.