“I don’t have all the answers.” “Maybe there’s a better way.” “How can we improve?” Ideally, leaders who have these thoughts are truly open to seeking the opinions of their teams in order to find solutions. As a leader, can you identify with this style? Are you able to let go and encourage your team to think independently? Such leaders exemplify transformational leadership in action. More specifically, these leaders place high value on arousing their team’s creativity and imagination to solve organizational problems.
Bernard Bass and Bruce Avolio, the creators of the four Transformational Leadership dimensions known as Individualized Consideration, Inspirational Motivation, Idealized Influence and Intellectual Stimulation describe the latter as the ability to galvanize followers to “exert extra effort.” Transformational Leaders aren’t invested in getting their teams to conform. Rather, they embolden employees by providing support, while giving them room to create and collaborate.
Throughout the course of my career as an employee and manager, I was fortunate to work with transformational leaders who encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone and transcend my preconceived assumptions regarding what I thought was (or wasn’t) possible. The best leaders were those who asked questions that inspired me to use my imagination and intellect so I could discover the answers on my own. On one occasion, I needed to find a solution that could enable our sales team to grow our customer base in the midst of an economic downturn. The company had already invested in the product and I was ultimately accountable for my team’s performance. Fortunately, my leader trusted me to engage in a process of trial and error that eventually led to success. It was an exhilarating experience and taught me a great deal about bringing out the best in myself and others.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, examples abound of innovative businesses shifting their resources to manufacture face masks, ventilators and protective clothing for front line healthcare workers. Companies in the food services sector have raised thousands of sponsorship dollars from their customers to prepare and deliver meals to hospitals, reinvigorating their businesses with a renewed sense of purpose. Others have provided bagged breakfasts and lunches to numerous school districts as cafeteria workers rallied to help and ensure that children receive nutritious meals. Tech companies have offered complimentary webcams and educational tools to assist teachers with virtual learning and enhanced internet capabilities.
The list of employee initiatives during a very difficult period in our history has been truly extraordinary. And it would be a challenge to attempt to do justice to each of them in this brief blog post. Suffice to say that many industries have tapped into the brain trust of their teams, encouraging their ideas to flow and flourish. Their inspiring stories and outcomes remind us that possibilities can coexist with pandemics. When people are given the opportunity to engage in critical thinking , reinvent and debunk preconceived “my way or the highway” thoughts, they can be intellectually stimulated to realize higher levels of potential and self-leadership.
Postscript: This video was recorded prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Learn more at www.michellera...
Michelle is one of less than 800 people worldwide to have earned the Certified Speaking Professional designation. Her passion for her work is evident in her speaking, she believes in the importance of authentic leadership in the workplace and the responsibility of positive communication and influence. She is committed to inspiring her clients to adopt practical, dynamic approaches to transform their culture and mindset.
6 май 2020
