Individual Leadership Growth Reflection - Essay Example

Individual Leadership Growth Reflection Transformational Leadership is leadership that involves impacting change in social as well as individual systems. This paper is a reflection on individual growth and leadership as regards the theory of transformational leadership. The identification with transformational leadership has come about because firstly of my charisma. I have found that I am able to influence people to follow my reasoning and thinking. This allows those that interact with me, rather than feel that they have been pushed to share into my opinion, retain an open mind and be inspired by it. I have found that I calm and patient when I differ with other people’s opinions, drawing them to my personality. I have high regard for innovation and creativity. It is important for me as an individual that in all areas of life, people be allowed to explore their ability to come up with new ideas. I have found that it is innovation that people find better alternative solutions to the problems they have. Through creativity and innovation people are able to enjoy the process of work much more. People that have not been allowed this explorative ability are usually much more likely to give little input. This is because they are working out of obligation and not motivation; the end result cannot be successful. In a world where more and more issues are controversial, people have leant to define their opinions as “grey.” For me, however, I have found that my opinions can only be classified as either “black” or “white.” This is to say that my stand on any issue whatsoever is very clear. I also ensure that my stand, though not enforced, is known. This would allow my followers to be in a position, in my absence, to make a decision that would concur with my line of thought. It is important that followers be able to understand their leader so that incidence of conflict is not a likely occurrence. In my interactions with people, I have found that I only encourage people to do as I would. This is because I would wish that a situation does not bring about negativity into their lives. If I feel that is an act would bear negative results, I tell them to carry on with it. However I am uncomfortable with telling people to carry on and act on something in a manner that I myself would not. I would prefer that this approach be reciprocated to me. From my experiences, I have come to the conclusion that people reciprocate what you to do them – if you are honest; they are likely to give you the same. My outlook towards life is positive- I look at the glass as half full and not to the contrary. Transformational leadership is all about retaining positivity. A transformational leader usually intends to bear positive intentions for all the stakeholders involved (Riggio, 2008). If transformational leadership is to be effective the intent is for the leader’s progress, the followers’ progress and the success of the project in question. At no point does one party incur loss in order for another party to be progressive or contented. This concurs with my view point of how the concept of life should be; everything should work out for the ultimate good of everything and everyone. I am also befitting of transformation leadership because of my flexibility. I am able to adapt very quickly to varying situations around me. For instance, if I am dealing with a person that has aggressive tendencies, I interact with them calmly to ensure I diffuse their aggression. If I am dealing with an extremely reserved person I try to put them at ease to ensure that they feel secure and comfortable enough to regale any details to me. It is important that leaders be able to adapt to various kinds of situations as well as people[Paw04]. The theory has impacted my individual growth as a leader in the following ways; Firstly, it challenges me to inspire the inspiration and motivation of other people. It is impossible for one to be able to create a successful system in any sector without the including of other people ideas. This is because other people have varying experiences and viewpoints. This view points, once combined ensure that a good solution is achieved. It is important that one motivate those around them as this in turn keeps them equally motivated. This is because those around a person usually constitute the negativity and positivity of one’s environment. It is for this reason, with regard to transformational leadership that a leader should inspire and motivate people. Through the transformational leadership theory, one understands that they should seek a genuine comprehension of the needs of others. In any organization, it is important that profession and business prowess remain the most important priority. However, it is unlikely that any kind of business could be accorded full attention is people’s physical and psychological needs are not met[Kho06]. Transformational leaders, make it their business to ensure that their followers are well equipped with the means to meet all their needs. In the process, they develop a better understanding of the persons they are dealing with, their problems and the general concept of humanity. A transformational leader should be able to understand an organization’s needs. In light of this, they should ensure that their own needs are in line with those of the organization/project. This is because the human mind usually can only perform specific tasks and accord focus to limited activities. If a leader’s mindset and needs are not similar to that of the organization, there occurs a conflict of interest (Riggio, 2005). The leader becomes torn between meeting their needs or those of the organization in question. If a leader is going to impact transformational leadership, their needs should correlate with those of the organization. The concept of humanity and that of transformational leadership go hand in hand. Humanity dictates that one understand, incorporate and apply moral consciousness in their interactions with the world: Transformational leadership requisitely of the same. Transformational leaders should ensure that their followers are able to develop morally. Success, in this leadership theory usually evaluates the consciousness that a leader has been able to impact on their followers[Kho06]. Moral development usually ensures that one does not prioritize financial or economic success over their humane side. It is through morality that a balance is achieved in society; this is the reason why the transformational leadership theory puts emphasis on it. A transformational leader improves the skill set of others. Followers should be able to learn from the skills that their leader has. They should also be able to learn from each other and the environment at large. In this way, they are able to improve themselves as persons. This usually goes a long way in increasing their self-worth and appreciation[Paw04]. When one achieves these two, they become inspired by their own improvement to learn more and subsequently to deliver more. In retrospect a workforce that remains stagnant usually forces the project on which they are working on to either be slow or stagnate. In transformational leadership, one should never be comfortable. The human brain is so versatile that regardless how well it is doing, it could always do better. It is therefore important that leaders always desire greater levels of performance from their employees. As with the previous mention, stagnation does no good for an individual and a project. The performance should grow in order to fulfill the laid out goals for a project within or before the set time frame. Looking back, followers should be able to identify a clear difference and growth line in the span of the onset of a project and its offset[Kho06]. Notably, performance level is usually affected by other factors such as inspiration and motivation. The individual strategies that I would apply to my practice of transformational leadership are; 1. The establishment and emphasis on a shared vision. A shared vision occurs when all the stakeholders have the same priorities and goals for achievement regarding the organization in question. It combines all their interests to have one magnified interest to work on. An example of a shared vision is as with a nongovernmental organization – the reduction of hunger to a certain ratio within a population. If this were to be a viable shared vision, it would have to be well within the individual interests of the stakeholders in question. In a shared vision strategy, individuals would go each give their own outline on how they feel the vision could be achieved. They also suggest how to sustain said vision. Following this, members collectively evaluate all the ideas and come up with one line of action and viable alternatives in order of the strength of said alternatives[Placeholder1]. A shared vision ensures that both the leader and followers encourage and motivate each other to stick to the plan in order to see the vision accomplished. Members would feel cognitively compelled to participate as the vision is of personal importance to them. It also ensures that upon the achievement of success all the members feel that the end result is satisfactory to them. 2. Personalized Management Within an organization there are various types of personalities. In light of this, people have various skills and needs. It is important that a transformational leader understand the different skill sets and needs of their followers. This will help them come up with a comprehensive plan that is inclusive of everyone. Following, this the leaders should identify individual talents and interests. This is to ensure that upon placing the followers in certain capacities, they do not lose interest or fail to accord the task maximum attention. The identification of skills and needs should go hand in hand with talents and skills; they complement each other[Placeholder1]. In this strategy, the transformational leaders should also show concern for their workers not just as workers but also as people. In this way, they feel that they are not being exploited in any way but rather that in their individual capacity they are important to the organization/project in question. This could be done through personal interactions with the followers. The transformational leader should also regale personal experiences to the followers. In this way, they realize that the leader is also human and has faults and challenges that they battle in their lives. This allows them feel free, secure and valued and builds them as people and as professionals[Kir05]. 3. The Role Model Element A role model refers to a character that a person emulates to carry themselves in accordance with. A role model goes a long way in influencing the eventual kind of person that a follower becomes. The role model effect could either be mild or strong. A mild effect will see the followers only partially look to emulate the model while a strong effect will see them fully emulate them. A transformational leader should aim to illustrate moral consciousness way in order to inspire the followers to do the same. Secondly, the manner in which they handled stressful relations should inspire others to do so in a similar way. For one to be a role model they must be consistent – people, cannot look for inspiration upon a person that is unstable in their beliefs, strategies and actions[Kir05]. They must also have a positive outlook – people are drawn to persons that bear positivity and not to those with dark and negative thoughts. A positive role model inspires loyalty – people feel inclined to give them the most that they can in order to gain their approval. Transformational leadership, for someone that aims to incorporate humanity’s greater good in their mission, is the perfect leadership style. All the above lights shed light on why transformational leadership has come to be known as the most effective leadership style in any professional and non-professional capacity. References Paw04: , (Pawar, 2004), Kho06: , (Khoza, 2006), Placeholder1: , (Morton, 2012), Kir05: , (Kirimi, 2005), Read More