Leadership is an integral part of any team or organization’s success. It is hence an important quality an individual possesses to ensure an entire team’s objectives are achieved. Various aspects of a youth’s life require the knowledge and quality of leadership. A leader’s role is very important in the field of management in relation to a team or organization’s success or failure. Leadership entails doing the right thing in the wake managing a team.
In the wake of the increasing demand for high quality leadership skills that supports the individual team members to develop whilst achieving the team’s objectives, transformational leadership has been identified to be key. Transformational leaders tend to ensure the entire team achieves its outlined objectives and also ensure that individual goals are also met.
This article outlines the concepts of transformational type of leadership among the youth; the benefits of transformational leadership and ways that the youth can be empowered with transformational leadership skills.
Explanation and Definition of Leadership, Leadership Skills and Transformational Leadership Skills
A transformational leader possesses the qualities of building a good vision and stays committed towards success. Such a leader continues to motivate his followers as well as ensures that they are always encouraged to complete assigned tasks. In view of the above, transformational leaders are tasked with changing the culture of doing business and running teams and hence facilitate the idea of innovation among his followers.
As identified by Hay (2006), transformational leadership is one of the best types of leadership styles that helps build the qualities of the leader as well as the qualities of the team members. Continually, transformational leadership styles have been identified to have the tendency for the leader to be emotionally attached to the team and may not take punitive actions against team members who flout rules and regulations. It is imperative for the youth to understand that transformational type of leadership provides an avenue for leaders to develop a level and sense of understanding for the errors made by team members. This helps an individual to develop an attitude of care in decision making. In some cases, this may go contrary to the expectations of some stakeholders such as shareholders when profits are being delayed or substituted for employee development programmes
Transformational type of leadership provides an avenue for leaders to train followers on the various skills that they possess. As such, it is important for a youthful leader practicing the transformational type of leadership to be more proactive and versatile in various skills that can be passed on from leaders to followers. It is hence prudent for such leaders to learn and master their skills to help them transfer it to their followers.
Hay (2006) asserted that transformational leaders must ensure innovation among their followers. This requires that the ideas of followers must be welcomed, evaluated and discussed prior to implementation. Transformational type of leadership promotes follower innovativeness as such leaders encourage followers to be pragmatic in solving problems and identifying and addressing challenges as when they arise.
Importance of Transformational Leadership
Pillai and Williams (2006) explained that transformational leadership style has several benefits that prove to be efficient in areas of business and any other area that requires leadership. From achieving outlined team objectives to personal development of team members, the transformational type of leadership shows several benefits. Studies by Bass and Riggio (2006) and Odom and Green (2003) identified that the transformational type of leadership has been an integral part of the success stories of various companies such as IBM especially in terms of profit making, market share and shareholder satisfaction.
Transformational type of leadership promotes flexibility in dealing with followers and managing the team. In as much as there are outlined objectives to be achieved, flexibility tends to be associated with the methods required and processes adopted in achieving the objectives. Transformational leaders are expected to approach objective achievement with a high level of caution and flexibility especially in the increasingly challenging global environment and its associated dynamism (Bass and Riggio, 2006).
Ways to Empower Youth with Transformational Leadership Skills
In the bid to empower the youth to be transformational leaders whilst exhibiting its associated skills, it is imperative that the youth are exposed to the characteristics and strategies that help groom such a leader.
The developing a transformational leader, there is the need for the youth or the individual to create an inspiring vision. In view of this, there is the need for the leader to create and communicate effectively an inspiring vision that followers are ready to follow with reason. An outlined vision must communicate the reason for forming the team and the objectives to be achieved. It is also important to critically analyze the environment in which the team is expected to operate within. This helps to design an effective strategy that addressed all challenges that are anticipated in the future (Sheppard, 2002)
Also, there is the need for transformational leaders to motivate their followers to buy into their ideas and also help deliver their vision. Transformational leadership style must encourage leaders to develop and implement a mission statement that appeals to the values of the followers whilst inspiring them to be led.
A transformational leader must be able to outline SMART (Specific; Measurable; Achievable; Realistic; and Time bound) objectives that can be delivered. It is important that such a leader must be very knowledgeable in the field he or she leads. There is need for such a leader to dedicate extra time and resources to developing themselves (Bass and Riggio, 2006).
There is the need for a transformational leader to build ever – stronger, trust – based relationship with his or her followers. Also there is the need for a transformational leader to focus his attention on his followers as well as the team’s objectives. In so doing, followers are developed to be better in areas they aspire to be in relation to the team’s objectives.
Conclusion
Transformational leadership style is very useful to the youth who desires to be a leader and manager in any field of their choice. The youth leader is required as the individual to understand the need of his / her followers and to be committed to achieving the team’s objectives whilst ensuring that the followers are also developed with the required skills for the realization of desired objectives.
As transformational leaders, the youth leader must understand the need to encourage teamwork whilst ensuring that follower innovativeness and proactive behavior are encouraged to support the growth and development of the team. Transformational leadership styles have the tendency to make the youth leader more supportive and encouraging leaders who seek the interest of the team and their followers first.
A transformational leader is expected to not only lead the team to success but encourage its team members to share their ideas to develop the team and make it better.
The article evaluated the concepts of transformational type of leadership among the youth; the benefits of transformational leadership and ways that the youth can be empowered with transformational leadership skills. The findings show that the youth who are in leadership should be encouraged to be transformational leaders in teams and their places of work.
Luckily for students at London School of Management Education (LSME), there are lots of opportunities in house to develop and enhance your leadership skills and prepare you for the world of works.
It is worthy to note that at London School of Management Education (LSME), we support all our students to have leadership skills that will enable you lead any group of people who are assigned to you. We entreat you to avail yourself to your lecturers and facilitators who will support you in your quest to have the best of transformational leadership styles for your future endeavours.
Wishing you the best of week and remember to share this article with colleagues, friends and anyone deciding on what leadership styles to use in their current and future endeavours.
See you again with another thought-provoking article next week. Stay blessed!
References
- Bass, B and Riggio, R (2006). Transformational leadership 2nd Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc.
- Pillai, R and Williams, E. A (2004). Transformational leadership, self – efficacy, group cohesiveness, commitment and performance. Journal of Organizational change management, Vol 17. Iss 2. Pp 144 – 159.
- Hay, I (2006). Transformational leadership: Characteristics and criticisms. Accessed from http://www.leadingtoday.org/weleadinlearning/transformationalleadership.htm Date accessed 10th June 2018
- Sheppard, P (2002). Leading the turnaround: Lou Gerstner of IBM. Wharton Leadership digest. Accessed from http://leadership.wharton.upenn.edu/digest/02-03.shtml Date accessed 10th June 2018.
- Odom, L and Green, T (2003). Law and the ethics of Transformational leadership. Leadership and organizational development journal, Vol 24 pp 62 – 69.