Are you a Transactional or Transformational Leader?

Do you have difficulty getting your staff and volunteers to take ownership of the tasks they need to perform? Can you count on all of your staff and volunteers to make real contributions to the success of your organization? If you answered yes to these questions, you may want to take a look at some of your leadership behaviors.

There are two basic styles of leadership in practice in the world of work. We see transactional leaders and transformational leaders. This article will help you determine which leadership style is your preferred method of leading your staff and volunteers.

Transactional leaders depend a great deal on “quid pro quo.” You do something for me and I will do something for you like a good performance evaluation or salary increase. On the contrary, transformational leaders motivate their followers to do more than they really expect they can do, increasing the sense of importance and value of the tasks, stimulating them to surpass their own interests and direct themselves to the interests of the team, organization or larger community and raising the level of change to a higher level.

• Transformational leaders create adaptive, entrepreneurial, innovative and flexible organizations.
• Transformational leaders are ready and able to take a risk and face the status quo in the organization.
• Transformational leaders are open and sincere with their followers and ready to give confidence when required. They do their best to empower them whenever it is possible.
• Transformational leaders formulate a set of essential values, which

are to be achieved, and show behavior, which is in accordance with the values.

• Transformational leaders are life-long learners. They are ready, when necessary, to perform radical changes in their own attitudes, approach, behavior, etc
• Transformational leaders are good visionaries.

Let’s take a look at a few benefits that are derived from applying transformational leadership in your organization.

• The work load is spread throughout the entire staff and volunteers instead of relying on a small percentage of top producers.
• You see people grow and become excited about their respective areas of contribution.
• The leader gets to spend more time coaching and less time nagging.
• The organization is more flexible and adaptable to change.

FRESC is ready to help you take a look at your leadership style. We have coaches available to help you become a transformational leader. Think about your leadership style and give us a call if we can help you adjust and apply some new behaviors.

The Front Range Executive Service Corps offers unique consulting services for non-profits.  In our focus on your organizational health, FRESC is ready to help you take a look at your leadership style. We have coaches available to help you become a transformational leader. Think about your leadership style and give us a call if we can help you adjust and apply some new behaviors.

If you are interested in applying for assistance, you can complete the application at www.frontrangeesc.org/agency_application.htm.  Or, if you would just like to speak with us to learn more, you can reach our Director, Randy Scott via email at randylscott1@msn.com or by telephone at 719-955-0743. Additionally, if you want to apply to be a volunteer consultant, you can complete the application at www.frontrangeesc.org/consult_application.htm.

FRESC is a local chapter of the international organization, the Executive Service Corps Affiliate Network.  You can learn more about them at www.escus.org.