-Written by SIYP Team
What are the benefits of being a transformational leader?
Transformational leadership is one of the leadership styles. In this particular one, the leader is first charged with identifying when change is needed. Then, creating a vision for that change. Finally, he or she will inspire and motivate a cooperative team with making the vision a reality.
The hallmark of a transformational leader is one who uses their own actions to move their team to greatness. Through leading by example, they take their team to a place where each member is fully invested and engaged in the goals and outcomes of the team.
Many experts say there is a key to getting this kind of performance from your team. This key – also the root identifying characteristic of a transformational leader – is when the leader serves as a capable, willing, and worthy role model.
Perhaps then, one of our greatest tasks in our quest to become a transformational leader is teaching – and supporting – work life balance in our team through our own behavior and willingness to support this not only in our lives but in their lives too.
We know people are more productive and engaged in all areas of life when those areas are in balance. This is called, “balanced living.” When we experience balanced living, and specifically work life balance, we thrive.
Is your team thriving?
Remember, the main key to being a transformational leader is being a role model. Do you have work life balance? If so, how is that displayed, communicated, or conveyed to your team?
If you do not seek – and practice – balanced living yourself, this theory of leadership tells us you cannot give that same gift to your team.
They won’t believe that the gift is real. They won’t believe you really mean it when you encourage their expression of balanced living or work life balance. And by withholding that gift from them, your team simply cannot and will not accomplish all it could.
There is no defined leadership style that is self-deprecating, self-abusive, or self-sacrificial. None of the known leadership styles require the leader to work their fingers to the bone, through crazy hours and situations, to the detriment of other aspects of their life. Not only is that not inspirational to your team, it’s downright frightening.
Think about it…
If a team does model and reflect their leader’s (your) behavior, what results would produce if they modeled this type of unbalanced living? Sure, you might see short-term benefits at work initially. And in times of crisis, this type of behavior might even be beneficial.
However, we cannot live in crisis all the time. And we cannot experience any kind of balanced life if we are always in crisis mode.
Perhaps one of the biggest reasons we see so much stress and burnout today is people – from teens to seniors – are modeling the behaviors of those charge with leading them and that behavior just isn’t great.
Often, it’s probably not even intentionally un-balanced or negative in nature—it’s just what they too modeled throughout their lives.
It’s a negative cycle we must intentionally and consciously break.
Therefore, in order to be or become a transformational leader, we not only need to watch the examples we are setting but who we follow along our own life journey as well.
