As the workforce continues to evolve, companies are evaluating new types of leadership to carry their businesses into the future. One such approach is transformational leadership, and it provides exceptional opportunities for women in the workplace.
What is Transformational Leadership?
The core aspects of transformational leadership focus on motivating employees, positive engagement, supporting moral standards within a business, achieving the greater good, and developing through mentoring and coaching. Additionally, transformational leadership strives to develop a culture that is based on open communication, authenticity, and cooperation. Understanding the nuances between transformational leadership and traditional transactional leadership takes some specialized training. If you have historically run your business with transactional leadership styles, it may also take some time for your employees to adapt to this new approach.
Benefits of Transformational Leadership
The primary benefit of transformational leadership is in resource management. Although your employees produce excellent products and services now, there may also be room for future development and growth. Transformational leadership helps employees feel pride in the work they do each day and enthusiasm for tomorrow’s possibilities.
Women and Transformational Leadership
Transformational leadership is definitely a “softer” approach to business operations. While men can excel at this type of role, women tend to achieve great results.Transformational leadership is an ideal fit for women who want to maintain high standards in their companies yet nurture their employees’ development and performance for growth and advancement in their market segments.
Qualities of Women in Transformational Leadership Roles
If you are looking for a new type of leadership in your company or are interested in being the woman in your workplace that serves as a transformational leader, there are some key qualities. Successful women in transformational leadership roles know their limitations and engage their colleagues in every possible way. Use a soft yet firm hand in their day-to-day dealings with colleagues and customers. Women in transformational leadership roles tend to put the greater good ahead of themselves, but they are in no way pushovers.
Consider taking time each day to look for ways to build on your own transformational leadership skills. Talk to other women about how they work on building their leadership skills, and focus on how you can learn more about these practices. Apply the actions you learned from speaking with other women in your own life.