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Leadership from an educational standpoint is someone that can lead, motivate, inspire, show empathy, have a caring heart to achieve a common goal.

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Leaders are people who do the right thing; managers are people who do things right. - Professor Warren G. Bennis

The word "leadership" can bring to mind a variety of images. For example:

A political leader, pursuing a passionate, personal cause.

An explorer, cutting a path through the jungle for the rest of his group to follow.

An executive, developing her company's strategy to beat the competition.

Leaders help themselves and others to do the right things. They set direction, build an inspiring vision, and create something new. Leadership is about mapping out where you need to go to "win" as a team or an organization; and it is dynamic, exciting, and inspiring.

Yet, while leaders set the direction, they must also use management skills to guide their people to the right destination, in a smooth and efficient way.

In this article, we'll focus on the process of leadership. In particular, we'll discuss the "transformational leadership" model, first proposed by James MacGregor Burns and then developed by Bernard Bass. This model highlights visionary thinking and bringing about change, instead of management processes that are designed to maintain and steadily improve current performance.

Note:

You can listen to an audio version of this article by clicking the play button, below.

You can subscribe to our podcasts using iTunes. Click the menu icon in the upper left corner of iTunes and select Show Menu Bar. Then choose File > Subscribe to Podcast, and paste this URL into the box: https://www.mindtools.com/communities/plk406t72/MindToolsCareerExcellenceClub.xml

Note:

Leadership means different things to different people around the world, and different things in different situations. For example, it could relate to community leadership, religious leadership, political leadership, and leadership of campaigning groups.

This article focuses on the Western model of individual leadership, and discusses leadership in the workplace rather than in other areas.

Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it. - Dwight D. Eisenhower

Leadership: a Definition

1. Creates an inspiring vision of the future.

2. Motivates and inspires people to engage with that vision.

3. Manages delivery of the vision.

4. Coaches and builds a team, so that it is more effective at achieving the vision.

Leadership brings together the skills needed to do these things. We'll look at each element in more detail.

1. Creating an Inspiring Vision of the Future

In business, a vision is a realistic, convincing and attractive depiction of where you want to be in the future. Vision provides direction, sets priorities, and provides a marker, so that you can tell that you've achieved what you wanted to achieve.

To create a vision, leaders focus on an organization's strengths by using tools such as Porter's Five Forces, PEST Analysis, USP Analysis, Core Competence Analysis and SWOT Analysis to analyze their current situation. They think about how their industry is likely to evolve, and how their competitors are likely to behave. They look at how they can innovate successfully, and shape their businesses and their strategies to succeed in future marketplaces. And they test their visions with appropriate market research, and by assessing key risks using techniques such as Scenario Analysis.

Therefore, leadership is proactive - problem solving, looking ahead, and not being satisfied with things as they are.

Once they have developed their visions, leaders must make them compelling and convincing. A compelling vision is one that people can see, feel, understand, and embrace. Effective leaders provide a rich picture of what the future will look like when their visions have been realized. They tell inspiring stories, and explain their visions in ways that everyone can relate to.

Here, leadership combines the analytical side of vision creation with the passion of shared values, creating something that's really meaningful to the people being led.

2. Motivating and Inspiring People

A compelling vision provides the foundation for leadership. But it's leaders' ability to motivate and inspire people that helps them deliver that vision.

For example, when you start a new project, you will probably have lots of enthusiasm for it, so it's often easy to win support for it at the beginning. However, it can be difficult to find ways to keep your vision inspiring after the initial enthusiasm fades, especially if the team or organization needs to make significant changes in the way that it does things. Leaders recognize this, and they work hard throughout the project to connect their vision with people's individual needs, goals and aspirations.

1. The expectation that hard work leads to good results.

2. The expectation that good results lead to attractive rewards or incentives.

This motivates people to work hard to achieve success, because they expect to enjoy rewards - both intrinsic and extrinsic - as a result.

Other approaches include restating the vision in terms of the benefits it will bring to the team's customers, and taking frequent opportunities to communicate the vision in an attractive and engaging way.

3. Managing Delivery of the Vision

Leaders must ensure that the work needed to deliver the vision is properly managed - either by themselves, or by a dedicated manager or team of managers to whom the leader delegates this responsibility - and they need to ensure that their vision is delivered successfully.

To do this, team members need performance goals that are linked to the team's overall vision. Our article on Performance Management and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) explains one way of doing this, and our Project Management section explains another. And, for day-to-day management of delivering the vision, the Management By Wandering Around (MBWA) approach helps to ensure that what should happen, really happens.

4. Coaching and Building a Team to Achieve the Vision

Individual and team development are important activities carried out by transformational leaders. To develop a team, leaders must first understand team dynamics. Several well-established and popular models describe this, such as Belbin's Team Roles approach, and Bruce Tuckman's Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing theory.

A leader will then ensure that team members have the necessary skills and abilities to do their job and achieve the vision. They do this by giving and receiving feedback regularly, and by training and coaching people to improve individual and team performance.

Note:

The words "leader" and "leadership" are often used incorrectly to describe people who are actually managing. These individuals may be highly skilled, good at their jobs, and valuable to their organizations - but that just makes them excellent managers, not leaders.

So, be careful how you use the terms, and don't assume that people with "leader" in their job titles, people who describe themselves as "leaders," or even groups called "leadership teams" are actually creating and delivering transformational change.

A particular danger in these situations is that people or organizations that are being managed by such an individual or group think they're being led; but they're not. There may actually be no leadership at all, with no one setting a vision and no one being inspired. This can cause serious problems in the long term.

Learn more about the differences between leaders and managers in our infographic, Leadership Vs. Management.

Key Points

Leadership can be hard to define and it means different things to different people.

In the transformational leadership model, leaders set direction and help themselves and others to do the right thing to move forward. To do this they create an inspiring vision, and then motivate and inspire others to reach that vision. They also manage delivery of the vision, either directly or indirectly, and build and coach their teams to make them ever stronger.

Effective leadership is about all of this - and it's exciting to be part of this journey!

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Leaders are people who do the right thing; managers are people who do things right. - Professor Warren G. Bennis The word "leadership" can bring to mind a variety of images. For example: A political leader, pursuing a passionate, personal cause. An explorer, cutting a path through the jungle for the rest of his group to follow.

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A Few Leadership Qualities

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The term emotional intelligence or EI is "the ability to understand and manage your own emotions, and those of the people around you" (Mindtools, 2021).

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The more that you, as a leader, manage each of these areas, the higher your emotional intelligence. So, let's look at each element in more detail and examine how you can grow as a leader.

Emotional Intelligence in Leadership

1. Self-awareness

If you're self-aware, you always know how you feel, and you know how your emotions and your actions can affect the people around you. Being self-aware when you're in a leadership position also means having a clear picture of your strengths and weaknesses, and it means behaving with humility.

So, what can you do to improve your self-awareness?

Keep a journal. Journals help you improve your self-awareness. If you spend just a few minutes each day writing down your thoughts, this can move you to a higher degree of self-awareness.

2. Self-regulation

Leaders who regulate themselves effectively rarely verbally attack others, make rushed or emotional decisions, stereotype people, or compromise their values. Self-regulation is all about staying in control.

This element of emotional intelligence, according to Goleman, also covers a leader's flexibility and commitment to personal accountability.

So, how can you improve your ability to self-regulate?

Hold yourself accountable. If you tend to blame others when something goes wrong, stop. Make a commitment to admit to your mistakes and to face the consequences, whatever they are. You'll probably sleep better at night, and you'll quickly earn the respect of those around you.

Practice being calm. The next time you're in a challenging situation, be very aware of how you act. Do you relieve your stress by shouting at someone else? Practice deep-breathing exercises to calm yourself. Also, try to write down all of the negative things you want to say, and then rip it up and throw it away. Expressing these emotions on paper (and not showing them to anyone!) is better than speaking them aloud to your team. What's more, this helps you challenge your reactions to ensure that they're fair!

3. Motivation

Self-motivated leaders work consistently toward their goals, and they have extremely high standards for the quality of their work.

How can you improve your motivation?

Re-examine why you're doing your job. It's easy to forget what you really love about your career. So, take some time to remember why you wanted this job. If you're unhappy in your role and you're struggling to remember why you wanted it, try the Five Whys technique to find the root of the problem. Starting at the root often helps you look at your situation in a new way. And make sure that your goal statements are fresh and energizing. For more on this, see our article on Goal Setting.

4. Empathy

For leaders, having empathy is critical to managing a successful team or organization. Leaders with empathy have the ability to put themselves in someone else's situation. They help develop the people on their team, challenge others who are acting unfairly, give constructive feedback, and listen to those who need it.

If you want to earn the respect and loyalty of your team, then show them you care by being empathic.

How can you improve your empathy?

Respond to feelings. You ask your assistant to work late - again. And although he agrees, you can hear the disappointment in his voice. So, respond by addressing his feelings. Tell him you appreciate how willing he is to work extra hours, and that you're just as frustrated about working late. If possible, figure out a way for future late nights to be less of an issue (for example, give him Monday mornings off).

5. Social Skills

Leaders who do well in the social skills element of emotional intelligence are great communicators. They're just as open to hearing bad news as good news, and they're experts at getting their team to support them and be excited about a new mission or project.

Leaders who have good social skills are also good at managing change and resolving conflicts diplomatically. They're rarely satisfied with leaving things as they are, but they don't sit back and make everyone else do the work: they set an example with their own behavior.

So, how can you build social skills?

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Emotional Intelligence in Leadership - Learning How to Be More Aware

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Relating to others is vital in today's workplace. Learn how to build your emotional intelligence (EI) with this article.

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The Texas Education Agency (TEA) announced the opening of the application for the Teacher Leadership Grant (District Practices Fellowship) for the 2022-2023 school year.

Purpose and process

The purpose of the Teacher Leadership Grant (District Practices Fellowship) is to fund and support local education agencies (LEAs) in strengthening leadership pipelines, refining teacher retention strategies, and implementing the practice of using high-leverage instructional practices for student learning. Teacher fellow (TF) cohorts participating in the grant will gather stakeholder input on the required focus areas (e.g., human capital systems, support for student readiness, high quality instructional assessment and materials, and student access to high quality instruction), develop recommendations, and present to senior LEA leadership.

The process for the grant requires LEAs to partner with an approved technical assistance provider to prioritize needs and choose at least one of the required focus areas mentioned above. LEAs will then recruit and select a group of diverse, highly effective teacher leaders to be named TFs for the grant year. TFs will meet at least eight times during the year to work on the focus areas and create recommendations to strengthen programs and practices ultimately leading to improved student outcomes.

Funding

TEA anticipates approximately ten grants will be awarded ranging in funding from $30,000 to $90,000 per LEA. Grant funding may be spent on approved partnerships (required), additional teacher compensation, and supplies and materials. Caps for funding expenditures include a maximum of $1,500 for teacher compensation per TF and a maximum of $1,000 for supplies and materials. The remaining funding will be applied to training and costs associated with partnering with a technical assistance provider. LEAs must use the TEA approved partner list. The selected partners will serve as a pillar of support through the grant process.

Application and award timelines

Important milestone dates are included in the table below:

November 19, 2021
Application due date to TEA

December 6, 2021, through January 26, 2022
Application review period, including oral interviews, as needed

January 27, 2022
Anticipated award announcement

February 21, 2022
Grant funding begins for awardees

July 31, 2023
Grant funding ends for awardees

LEAs will be expected to hold monthly training sessions for TFs, as well as quarterly meetings with LEA leadership members. Documentation of meetings and outcomes will be a requirement of grant funding. More information can be found in the program guidelines for the grant.

TEA commitment

TEA continues to support teacher leadership and development, as well as student learning, through grant opportunities. The Teacher Leadership Grant (District Practices Fellowship) offers the opportunity to further professionalize the teaching profession and provide teacher leadership pathways within local school systems.
Jennifer Barton is a compensation and HR consultant at TASB HR Services. Send Jennifer an email at jennifer.barton@tasb.org.
Stay up to date with all the latest HR news and trends by joining the HRX mailing list!

Tagged: TEA, "Teacher training", "Texas Education Agency"

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The Texas Education Agency (TEA) announced the opening of the application for the Teacher Leadership Grant (District Practices Fellowship) for the 2022-2023 school year. The purpose of the Teacher Leadership Grant (District Practices Fellowship) is to fund and support local education agencies (LEAs) in strengthening leadership pipelines, refining teacher retention strategies, and implementing the practice of using high-leverage instructional practices for student learning.

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The School Counselor Leader: Assessing Your Mindsets and Skills

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The School Counselor Leader: Assessing Your Mindsets and Skills

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This link offers great information on the mindsets and skills of a school counselor according to ASCA model.
(G. Smith, 2020)

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You have always considered yourself a leader. You held student leadership positions in your school, athletic teams, clubs and community organizations. You ran for office, agreed to chair committees and volunteered when others did not. As a graduate student in school counseling, you learned about the American School Counselor Association's ASCA National Model and researched and discussed the impact that advocacy, collaboration and leadership (ACL) have on systemic change. You received the best preparation and experience possible, and now you are a school counselor. Perhaps you are new to the field or are a veteran; in either case, you realize ACL in a school setting can be daunting.

As a retired 30-year veteran in school counseling and district leadership in a large metro-Atlanta school district, I have interacted with hundreds of school counselors and graduate students. Having them reflect upon and share the reason why they wanted to become a school counselor was an important step in beginning their careers or, for veteran counselors, in refocusing on student-centered programming. When asked, most school counselors shared that they entered the profession to change the world, to make it a better place or to protect and serve students (systemic change). As we know from the ASCA National Model, the guiding principles of advocacy, collaboration and leadership drive systemic change; consequently, assessing our ACL mindsets and strengthening our ACL skills are essential for being an effective school counselor.

Consider these change agents who have impacted our lives in unparalleled ways. Helen Keller, Sir Paul McCartney, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malala Yousafzai, Rosa Parks and Jimmy Carter at first glance seem to be a disparate group of private citizens, politicians and artists. But they are considered change agents because of their passion, vision and courage for making the world a better place. These individuals, many of whom overcame adversities, used their leadership mindsets and advocacy skills to change the world. Sound familiar?

Assessing Leadership Mindsets
School counselors who are interested in assessing their ACL mindsets might begin with a review of the ACL themes in literature and research. Visit the leadership section of your local bookstore or library, where you will find hundreds of books on the topic. Explore scholarly journals and collaborate with other professionals in the field. Advocacy and leadership research, self-assessments, books and other resources abound; in fact, advocacy and leadership are often inseparable. Regardless of the assessment and the setting, allow your ACL exploration to spark self-reflection and rich conversations between you and your counselor colleagues, professional learning communities, classmates, mentors and staff. Begin by asking and answering questions that may reveal your ACL mindset.

Assessing Leadership Skills
Having the desire to advocate, collaborate and lead effectively is different from possessing the skills necessary to do so. As is true for our students, once we possess the appropriate mindset, learning and implementing the skills require practice and time. After assessing your ACL mindsets, complete The ASCA School Counselor Professional Standards and Competencies Assessment for assessing your mindset about students and your school counseling program. The instrument also includes comprehensive statements focused on Professional Foundation, Direct and Indirect Student Services and Planning and Assessment. Your responses can inform strategic planning for implementing and sustaining a comprehensive school counseling program and professional learning.

Summary
Professional and personal self-reflection and assessment are not always easy. Knowing where to begin, asking relevant questions and developing actionable next steps may feel overwhelming at first. School counselors, however, have an ethical responsibility to engage in continual professional self-improvement to ensure we are providing excellent care to our students and school communities.

Consider the following questions as you continue your journey of assessing your ACL mindsets and skills:

Who am I as a school counselor?

Do my mindsets and skills meet the needs of my students?

Do I have a fixed or growth leadership mindset?

How does leadership mindset impact skills?

What can I do to develop and improve my leadership mindset and skills?

What are ethical considerations when leadership efforts do not align with school and district prevailing practices?

What are ethical considerations when a school counselor's mindsets and skills do not meet the needs of students?

Gail M. Smith is a retired school counselor and school counseling supervisor who spent 30 years working in the Cobb County School District. She can be reached at gailcounselor.smith@gmail.com.

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The School Counselor Leader: Assessing Your Mindsets and Skills

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You have always considered yourself a leader. You held student leadership positions in your school, athletic teams, clubs and community organizations. You ran for office, agreed to chair committees and volunteered when others did not.

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School Leadership: Resource Roundup | Edutopia

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For principals and other school administrators, this list of videos, blogs, and articles includes advice and tips on effective leadership strategies, partnering with teachers, and cultivating and retaining strong leaders.

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This ASCA link offers a presentation on leadership in school counseling.

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The themes of leadership, advocacy, collaboration and systemic change are woven throughout the ASCA National Model and are integral components of a school counseling program. Leadership is the capacity or ability to guide others. School counselors use leadership skills to design, implement and assess their school counseling program. In this webinar, panelists share what leadership looks like on a daily basis in their school counseling program.

Speakers:

Ashley Wright, School Counselor of the Year Finalist; School Counselor, Lucille J. Bradley Elementary School, Spring, Texas

Terri Coleman, ACSC, Alabama School Counselor of the Year; School Counselor, Hoover City Schools, Hoover, Ala.

Moderator: Olivia Carter, 2021 School Counselor of the Year; School Counselor Support Specialist, Cape Girardeau Public Schools, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

Original air date: Feb. 8, 2022

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The themes of leadership, advocacy, collaboration and systemic change are woven throughout the ASCA National Model and are integral components of a school counseling program. Leadership is the capacity or ability to guide others. School counselors use leadership skills to design, implement and assess their school counseling program.

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Teach to Lead Supporting Organizations produce reports, publish research, and share knowledge to support teachers and teacher leadership every day. See below for some helpful examples. Tools Teacher Leadership Skills Framework Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession Teacher Leader Self Assessment Center for Strengthening the Teaching Profession

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Calling all leaders! This podcast playlist curated by Memorial Union Student Engagement is here to keep you motivated, challenge your methods, and to help you achieve your goals!

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Every successful leader knows that their journey is one of constant learning. Whether it's a trusted email newsletter, a podcast that brings top industry insights each week or a favorite book that merits reading over and over again, there are many ways to boost leadership knowledge.

The members of Business Journals Leadership Trust understand how important it is to keep honing your skills as a leader. Below, 10 of them share the blogs, podcasts, courses and other resources they recommend for your continuing leadership education.

1. Cornell University's Keynotes

I came across Cornell University's Keynotes series earlier this year while attending their online certificate program in digital marketing. Available through the eCornell online learning platform, Cornell's Keynotes is a free, live and on-demand series of panel discussions and lectures covering a wide range of topics. - Keith Woods, KB Woods Public Relations

2. The Sales Hacker Podcast

3. Audible

Audible is one of my go-to platforms for learning not just about leadership but also about business success and entrepreneurship. It provides a wide range of audiobooks that you may listen to any time, anywhere and at the speed you choose. In a world where everyone wants to multitask, maximize time and live at a fast pace, Audible is a handy platform to get daily learning at your own time and pace. - Jack Smith, Fortuna Business Management Consulting

4. The One Thing

5. Lead to Win
Business Journals Leadership Trust is an invitation-only network of influential business leaders, executives and entrepreneurs in your community. Do I qualify?
6. Impact Theory

7. Beyond the To-Do List

8. Harvard Business Review

9. A Bit of Optimism

10. Reconnecting with mentors

I set aside a day where I reconnect with people whom I have admired and who are mentors to me. During this time, we have a very frank conversation and reconnect our friendship and knowledge about what's going on in the industry. Having a personal mentor is key. - Gene Yoo, Resecurity, Inc.

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10 expert-recommended resources for honing your leadership skills - The Business Journals

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Every successful leader knows that their journey is one of constant learning. Whether it's a trusted email newsletter, a podcast that brings top industry insights each week or a favorite book that merits reading over and over again, there are many ways to boost leadership knowledge.

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Good to Great (Jim Collins)
How Remarkable Women Lead (Joanna Barsh)
Leaders Make the Future (Bob Johansen)
Leadership on the Line (Linsky & Heifetz)
Reframing Academic Leadership (Bolman & Gallos)
Reframing the Path to School Leadership (Bolman & Deal)
Creating Multicultural Change on Campus (Pope, Reynolds, Mueller)
How Colleges Work (Birnbaum)
Changing on the Job: Developing Leaders for a Complex World (Berger)
Do Good Well: Your Guide to Leadership, Action, and Social

(Angelo State University blackboard assignment resources)

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Impacts of Great Leadership in Education

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Impacts of Great Leadership in Education

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So how do high-quality leaders achieve this impact?
According to research, "the impact of leadership tends to be
greatest in schools where the learning needs of students are most acute. By setting directions – charting a clear course that everyone understands, establishing high expectations and using data to track progress and performance" (Leithwood & Levin, 2010, p. 3)

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5 Key Elements to Emotional Intelligence

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5 Key Elements to Emotional Intelligence

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According to Daniel Goleman , an American psychologist who helped to popularize emotional intelligence, there are five key elements to it:

Self-awareness.
Self-regulation.
Motivation.
Empathy.
Social skills.
(Mindtools, 2021).

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The more that you, as a leader, manage each of these areas, the higher your emotional intelligence. So, let's look at each element in more detail and examine how you can grow as a leader.

Emotional Intelligence in Leadership

1. Self-awareness

If you're self-aware, you always know how you feel, and you know how your emotions and your actions can affect the people around you. Being self-aware when you're in a leadership position also means having a clear picture of your strengths and weaknesses, and it means behaving with humility.

So, what can you do to improve your self-awareness?

Keep a journal. Journals help you improve your self-awareness. If you spend just a few minutes each day writing down your thoughts, this can move you to a higher degree of self-awareness.

2. Self-regulation

Leaders who regulate themselves effectively rarely verbally attack others, make rushed or emotional decisions, stereotype people, or compromise their values. Self-regulation is all about staying in control.

This element of emotional intelligence, according to Goleman, also covers a leader's flexibility and commitment to personal accountability.

So, how can you improve your ability to self-regulate?

Hold yourself accountable. If you tend to blame others when something goes wrong, stop. Make a commitment to admit to your mistakes and to face the consequences, whatever they are. You'll probably sleep better at night, and you'll quickly earn the respect of those around you.

Practice being calm. The next time you're in a challenging situation, be very aware of how you act. Do you relieve your stress by shouting at someone else? Practice deep-breathing exercises to calm yourself. Also, try to write down all of the negative things you want to say, and then rip it up and throw it away. Expressing these emotions on paper (and not showing them to anyone!) is better than speaking them aloud to your team. What's more, this helps you challenge your reactions to ensure that they're fair!

3. Motivation

Self-motivated leaders work consistently toward their goals, and they have extremely high standards for the quality of their work.

How can you improve your motivation?

Re-examine why you're doing your job. It's easy to forget what you really love about your career. So, take some time to remember why you wanted this job. If you're unhappy in your role and you're struggling to remember why you wanted it, try the Five Whys technique to find the root of the problem. Starting at the root often helps you look at your situation in a new way. And make sure that your goal statements are fresh and energizing. For more on this, see our article on Goal Setting.

4. Empathy

For leaders, having empathy is critical to managing a successful team or organization. Leaders with empathy have the ability to put themselves in someone else's situation. They help develop the people on their team, challenge others who are acting unfairly, give constructive feedback, and listen to those who need it.

If you want to earn the respect and loyalty of your team, then show them you care by being empathic.

How can you improve your empathy?

Respond to feelings. You ask your assistant to work late - again. And although he agrees, you can hear the disappointment in his voice. So, respond by addressing his feelings. Tell him you appreciate how willing he is to work extra hours, and that you're just as frustrated about working late. If possible, figure out a way for future late nights to be less of an issue (for example, give him Monday mornings off).

5. Social Skills

Leaders who do well in the social skills element of emotional intelligence are great communicators. They're just as open to hearing bad news as good news, and they're experts at getting their team to support them and be excited about a new mission or project.

Leaders who have good social skills are also good at managing change and resolving conflicts diplomatically. They're rarely satisfied with leaving things as they are, but they don't sit back and make everyone else do the work: they set an example with their own behavior.

So, how can you build social skills?

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Emotional Intelligence in Leadership - Learning How to Be More Aware

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Relating to others is vital in today's workplace. Learn how to build your emotional intelligence (EI) with this article.

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These types of leaders are "seen to have inspiring visions, being able to enthuse their followers and get them to identify with the vision through their powers of persuasion and ability to influence the emotions of followers" (Jeanes, 2019).

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PRINTED FROM OXFORD REFERENCE (www.oxfordreference.com). (c) Copyright Oxford University Press, 2021. All Rights Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single entry from a reference work in OR for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy and Legal Notice).

Subscriber: null; date: 09 May 2022

A type of leadership that is defined by the positive personal qualities of the leader. Charismatic leaders are seen to have inspiring visions, being able to enthuse their followers and get them to identify with the vision through their powers of persuasion and ability to influence the emotions of followers. As it refers to the qualities of the leader, it has been associated with a trait approach to leadership, and it is also associated with a romanticized view of leadership. However, charisma has to be perceived by the follower, which suggests that follower characteristics are also important in determining who is seen as a charismatic leader. Because of the association with traits, some argue that people have the capacity for charisma, but it cannot be trained. Others suggest that since it is about the relationship and communication, it is a skill that can be honed. See also ; transformational leadership ; compare rational-legal authority .

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A type of leadership that is defined by the positive personal qualities of the leader. Charismatic leaders are seen to have inspiring visions, being able to enthuse their followers and get them to identify with the vision through their powers of persuasion and ability to influence the emotions of followers.

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Transactional leaders are those that have more of a managerial approach. They tend to focus more on supervision, organization, and group performance. (Cherry, 2020)

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Transactional leadership, also known as managerial leadership, focuses on the role of supervision, organization, and group performance. Leaders who implement this style focus on specific tasks and use rewards and punishments to motivate followers.﻿﻿

This theory of leadership was first described in by sociologist Max Weber and further explored by Bernard M. Bass in the early 1980s. Take a closer look at how the transactional style works as well as some of the potential benefits and downsides of this style.

Basic Assumptions of Transactional Leadership

People perform their best when the chain of command is definite and clear.

Rewards and punishments motivate workers.

Obeying the instructions and commands of the leader is the primary goal of the followers.

Subordinates need to be carefully monitored to ensure that expectations are met.﻿﻿

This theory takes a behavioral approach to leadership by basing it on a system of rewards and punishments.

Athletic teams also rely heavily on transactional leadership. Players are expected to conform to the team's rules and expectations and are rewarded or punished based on their performance. Winning a game might mean accolades and bonuses while losing might lead to rejection and verbal castigation. Players often become highly motivated to do well, even if it means suffering pain and injury.

Unlike transformational leaders who tend to be forward-looking, transactional leaders are interested in merely maintaining the status quo.﻿﻿ Transformational leaders try to sell their ideas and vision to followers. Transactional leaders, on the other hand, tell group members what to do and when to do it.

How Transactional Leadership Works

In transactional leadership, rewards and punishments are contingent upon the performance of the followers. The leader views the relationship between managers and subordinates as an exchange - you give me something for something in return. When subordinates perform well, they receive a reward. When they perform poorly, they will be punished in some way. Rules, procedures, and standards are essential in transactional leadership.

They do not, however, act as catalysts for growth and change within an organization. Instead, they are focused on maintaining this as they are and enforcing current rules and expectations.

These leaders do tend to be good at setting expectations and standards that maximize the efficiency and productivity of an organization.﻿﻿ They tend to give constructive feedback regarding follower performance that allows group members to improve their output to obtain better feedback and reinforcement.

When Is Transactional Leadership the Most Effective?

Followers are not encouraged to be creative or to find new solutions to problems. Research has found that transactional leadership tends to be most effective in situations where problems are simple and clearly defined.﻿﻿

It can also work well in crisis situations where the focus needs to be on accomplishing certain tasks. By assigning clearly defined duties to particular individuals, leaders can ensure that those things get done.

Transactional leaders focus on the maintenance of the structure of the group.﻿﻿ They are tasked with letting group members know exactly what is expected, articulating the rewards of performing tasks well, explaining the consequences of failure, and offering feedback designed to keep workers on task.

While transactional leadership can be useful in some situations, it is considered insufficient in many cases and may prevent both leaders and followers from achieving their full potential.

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How a Transactional Leadership Style Works

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Transactional leadership, also known as managerial leadership, focuses on the role of supervision, organization, and group performance. Leaders who implement this style focus on specific tasks and use rewards and punishments to motivate followers.﻿﻿ This theory of leadership was first described in by sociologist Max Weber and further explored by Bernard M.

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What is a servant leader?
According to Greenleaf, servant leaders serve first and then take of themselves after. “The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served" (Greenleaf, 2021).

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While servant leadership is a timeless concept, the phrase "servant leadership" was coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in The Servant as Leader, an essay that he first published in 1970. In that essay, Greenleaf said:

"The servant-leader is servant first... It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions...The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature.

"The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people's highest priority needs are being served. The best test, and difficult to administer, is: Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? And, what is the effect on the least privileged in society? Will they benefit or at least not be further deprived?"

A servant-leader focuses primarily on the growth and well-being of people and the communities to which they belong. While traditional leadership generally involves the accumulation and exercise of power by one at the "top of the pyramid," servant leadership is different. The servant-leader shares power, puts the needs of others first and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible.

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What is Servant Leadership? - Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership

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While servant leadership is a timeless concept, the phrase "servant leadership" was coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in The Servant as Leader, an essay that he first published in 1970. In that essay, Greenleaf said: "The servant-leader is servant first... It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first.

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Transformational leaders "inspire, motivate, are enthusiastic, energetic and focused on helping every member of the group succeed as well" (Cherry, 2020)

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Have you ever been in a group where someone took control of the situation by conveying a clear vision of the group's goals, a marked passion for the work, and an ability to make the rest of the group feel recharged and energized? This person just might be what is called a transformational leader.

Transformational leadership is a leadership style that can inspire positive changes in those who follow. Transformational leaders are generally energetic, enthusiastic, and passionate. Not only are these leaders concerned and involved in the process; they are also focused on helping every member of the group succeed as well.

Quick Background

The concept of transformational leadership was initially introduced by leadership expert and presidential biographer James MacGregor Burns. According to Burns, transformational leadership can be seen when "leaders and followers make each other to advance to a higher level of moral and motivation."﻿﻿

Later, researcher Bernard M. Bass expanded upon Burns's original ideas to develop what is today referred to as Bass's Transformational Leadership Theory. According to Bass, transformational leadership can be defined based on the impact that it has on followers. Transformational leaders, Bass suggested, garner trust, respect, and admiration from their followers.﻿﻿

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Components

Bass also suggested that there were four different components of transformational leadership.

1. Intellectual Stimulation: Transformational leaders not only challenge the status quo; they also encourage creativity among followers. The leader encourages followers to explore new ways of doing things and new opportunities to learn.

2. Individualized Consideration: Transformational leadership also involves offering support and encouragement to individual followers. In order to foster supportive relationships, transformational leaders keep lines of communication open so that followers feel free to share ideas and so that leaders can offer direct recognition of the unique contributions of each follower.

3. Inspirational Motivation: Transformational leaders have a clear vision that they are able to articulate to followers. These leaders are also able to help followers experience the same passion and motivation to fulfill these goals.

4. Idealized Influence: The transformational leader serve as a role model for followers. Because followers trust and respect the leader, they emulate this individual and internalize his or her ideals.

So what are some typical signs of a transformational leader? Groups led by this type of leader tend to be both successful and loyal. They give a lot to the team and care deeply about the group's ability to accomplish its goals. Turnover tends to be quite low as transformational leaders are able to inspire a great deal of commitment in their followers.

In their classic text, Transformational Leadership, authors Bass and Riggio explained:

"Transformational leaders...are those who stimulate and inspire followers to both achieve extraordinary outcomes and, in the process, develop their own leadership capacity. Transformational leaders help followers grow and develop into leaders by responding to individual followers' needs by empowering them and by aligning the objectives and goals of the individual followers, the leader, the group, and the larger organization."

"Research evidence clearly shows that groups led by transformational leaders have higher levels of performance and satisfaction than groups led by other types of leaders," explained psychologist and leadership expert Ronald E. Riggio in an article for Psychology Today.

The reason, he suggests, is that transformational leaders believe that their followers can do their best, leading members of the group to feel inspired and empowered.

What can you do to become a more transformational leader? Leadership experts suggest that having a strong, positive vision of the future plays a critical role. Not only is it important to believe in this vision yourself; you've also got to inspire others to buy into your vision as well.

Link to Well-Being

According to the results of one study, this style of leadership can also have a positive influence on employee well-being.﻿﻿

The study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine involved surveying workers at several different German information and communication technology companies. Researchers asked participants to answers questions about their employer's leadership style.

A score for transformational leadership was then determined based on qualities such as providing intellectual stimulation, giving positive feedback for good performance, leading by example, and helping employees feel like they were making a contribution toward the goals of the group.

The researchers discovered that employees who identified a higher level of transformational leadership in their employers also had higher reported levels of well-being. The effect stayed significant even after researchers controlled for factors that are linked to well-being such as job strain, education, and age.

"The results of this study suggest that a transformational leadership style, which both conveys a sense of trust and meaningfulness and individually challenges and develops employees, also has a positive effect on employee well-being," the authors summarized.

Real-World Applications

So what impact could such results have for managers and workers?

The study's authors suggest that the results are important and can help companies develop leadership training programs that can be used to teach transformational leadership skills. Acquiring communication skills such as resolving conflicts in the workplace and recognizing the needs of employees are an important part of transformational leadership.

"Such training programs can be seen as another essential component of workplace health promotion and prevention efforts and therefore should receive wide support," explained the study's authors.

A Word From Verywell

The transformational style of leadership can be highly effective when used appropriately, but it might not necessarily be the best choice for every situation. In some cases, groups may require a more managerial or autocratic style that involves closer control and greater direction, particularly in situations where group member are unskilled and need a lot of oversight.

One way to improve your own leadership skills is to assess your own current leadership style and think about ways in which your strengths can benefit the group you are leading. By evaluating your own skills, you will be better able to play to your strengths and work on improving your areas of weakness.

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How Do Transformational Leaders Inspire and Motivate Followers?

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Have you ever been in a group where someone took control of the situation by conveying a clear vision of the group's goals, a marked passion for the work, and an ability to make the rest of the group feel recharged and energized? This person just might be what is called a transformational leader.

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"Everyone can try to lead, but great leaders are those that help others achieve a goal especially during challenging times" (Iacocca & Whitney, 2008, p.8)

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"Stay Ready, So You Can Be Ready" (Keich Willis, 2022)

" As we look into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others" (Bill Gates)