What does it mean to be a Transformational Leader?

NOTE: Don't miss the first video above as we kick-off our new interview series "Real People Getting Real Results!" Jason Denam has proven himself to be a transformational leader. You can watch the interview above to learn a bit about what it means to be a Transformational Leader and how Jason intentionally develops his team, OR you can listen to the audio version Episode #378 on my Blue Collar Leadership podcast. If you watch/listen, be sure to subscribe and tap the bell to be notified of new episodes in this series that will be released each Friday at Noon ET.

Becoming a Transformational Leader

Several years ago, my wife Ria and I conducted a multi-day workshop on Transformational Leadership for the Association for Talent Development in Washington D.C. Below is an excerpt from material we shared with the leaders who attended that event. Ria Story, Leadership Speaker, Author, Trainer created this content, and I included it in Chapter 14 "Becoming a Transformational Leader" in my book, Blue-Collar Leadership & Culture: The 5 Components for Building High Performance Teams .

Ria's thoughts on Transformational Leadership...

The need for culture transformation can be driven by one or more key factors:

• organizational growth
• toxic organizational culture
• poor top-level leadership
• industry or technology changes
• negativity in the workplace
• poor management
• a lack of succession planning for an aging workforce.

Anytime we are trying to create positive change, we find ourselves challenged to influence others to accept, buy-in, and get on board with, the change and transformation.

In an uncertain world, one thing is certain: leading positive transformation is challenging.

Transformation is a change in form, appearance, or character.

Transformational Leaders influence others to change their character, and therefore their behavior.

Few people have a desire to truly become a Transformational Leader, and not all of those with a desire actually make it. Leadership requires sacrifice, character development, time, effort, energy, and putting others ahead of yourself.

Transformational Leadership isn’t about the title you have or the position you hold. It’s not about climbing to the top alone. It’s about summiting the top of the mountain, then intentionally going back down to find others who need help climbing to the top.

Transformational Leaders sacrifice personally in order to become significant in the lives of others. The challenges will be great, and the obstacles will be endless.

However, the reward is priceless.

Transformational Leadership is about making a difference in the lives of others. It’s about fulfilling your purpose and helping someone else unleash their potential.

Transformational Leadership is about refusing to accept good enough and go for great. As Jim Collins, author of Good to Great said, “Good is the enemy of great. And, that is one of the key reasons why we have so little that becomes great.”

Regardless of whether you’re an Owner, CEO, Director, HR Professional, Consultant, Trainer, or Talent Development Specialist, you have the opportunity to move beyond simply managing the tasks of your daily job. You have the opportunity to move from good to great, personally and professionally, when you accept the responsibility of becoming a Transformational Leader.

Note: Be sure to check out "The Transformation Equation" in our Blue-Collar Leadership whitepaper .

Two Key Requirements for Becoming a Transformational Leader:

1. YOU must lead yourself through personal transformation
2. YOU must develop a high degree of positive influence in all directions

You must have undergone transformation yourself before you can effectively lead others through transformation. You cannot give someone something you don’t have to give. You can’t take them to the top of the mountain if you don’t know the way.

You must be able to influence others, relative to improving their character by changing their values, in a transformational and positive way. Influence is the essence of leadership and positive influence is the key to transformational leadership because we are asking someone to follow us somewhere they have never been.

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If your company culture isn’t a competitive advantage, it’s a competitive disadvantage.

Blue-Collar Leadership??& Culture ?features content specifically for the top leader who has never led a cultural transformation but is curious to find out what will be required, what to do, and how to do it. Discover why you should transform your culture, and also what to do and how to do it.