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On Leaderview today, we want to look at something together that I believe is also important to our leadership. We want to look at something in the line of transformational leadership. And the title is: The Hallmark of Transformational Leadership. What is it about our leadership that requires that transformational outcome? What is it about our leadership that will drive that transformational agenda that every leadership is expected to be known with or is expected to be identified with.
Listen to Podcast: The Hallmark of Transformational Leadership
Now, when we talk about the hallmark of transformational leadership, it talks about the ability to inspire, and motivate followers to achieve their full potential, while also creating a positive and empowering work environment that encourages innovation and growth. That is the hallmark of transformational leadership. It is a leadership ability that brings about inspiration that brings about motivation, in which followers are able to achieve their full potential, while also creating a positive and empowering work environment that encourages innovation and growth. Now, this is very, very important for us to understand as leaders. And the reason is because it is not every leadership that we see today, that is transformational. There are so many leaderships out there, there are so many leaders out there. But not every leader or not every leadership that we see today that is transformational in nature, and what is the essence of your leadership, if that leadership does not command a transformational outcome? What is the essence of your leadership, if that leadership does not bring about a notable change, or a notable outcome in the organization that you are leading, or in the lives of the people that you are leading as a leader? And that is why we are looking at the hallmark of transformational leadership.
So, when a leadership is not transformational, that means such leadership is not inspiring enough. That means such leadership is not motivating enough. And the reason for that is actually what we are going to be considering in this piece. So, let’s ask ourselves this very simple question. What happens when a leadership is not transformational? What exactly happens when your leadership is not transformational? Now I have come to discover that when a leadership is not transformational, usually, there are two things that can be traced or there are two things that we can say is the cause of a leadership that is not transformational. And those two reasons or those two causes largely can be traced to the leader himself or herself.
So, when your leadership is not transformational, the problem is actually directly from the leader, the problem is from the person who is in charge. So, those two things actually are lack of consistency and lack of credibility. So, when you see leadership that is not transformational, you will not look too far-fetched before you discover that such leadership does not have consistency and such leadership does not have credibility or the leader himself or herself does not have consistency and such leader is not credible. Now when a leader lacks consistency and also lacks credibility, you see, there is no way his or her leadership can inspire or motivate those that are following. And therefore, the lack of transformational outcome in such leadership is going to be is going to be visible, everyone will be able to see it that such leadership actually does not have any transformational outcome that is attached to it.
Now, let us look at something in the Bible. Let’s look at a popular Scripture which is going to form the basis for our discourse in this piece. Now that Bible passage is Acts 1:1, I quickly want to read that part of the Bible to us. Now the Bible says: “The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach…” Now that is the verse, very simple verse. Now, if you look at this Bible passage from the lenses of leadership, if we put on the lenses of leadership, and we begin to put apart that Bible passage, and we begin to look into what it says, there are two words that readily comes to mind. The first one is credibility. And the second one is consistency.
Now, don’t forget, we’ve said from the beginning that when a leadership is not transformational in nature, that leadership lacks credibility and it lacks consistency. Now we’re looking at an account of the life of Jesus Christ in that Act chapter one verse one, and we can readily see those two words in action from that simple Bible passage that we just read, we can see credibility and we can see consistency. So, we can infer that Jesus was a credible leader. And Jesus was also a consistent leader because these two words are very germane, they are very important when it comes to transformational outcomes in leadership.
Now, let’s talk about consistency. Now, consistency in leadership is an important trait that refers to maintaining a steady and predictable approach to decision making and communication. So, when we’re looking at consistency in leadership, it refers to maintaining a steady and predictable approach to decision making and communication in leadership. It also involves aligning one’s actions and words with the values with the goals and expectations of the organization or team. So, this is what consistency talks about in leadership, and if a leadership is going to be transformational, it is of necessity, that the leader be consistent. Consistency must be one of the hallmarks of the leadership that is going to be transformational in nature because consistency in leadership actually can help build trust and credibility with the team members as well as create a sense of stability and order within the group.
So, leaders for example, who demonstrate consistency in their actions and communications, they are more likely to be viewed as reliable, as trustworthy and accountable. So, this makes you know, their followers to migrate or to navigate towards them. And when you have such leadership, one of the things that begins to happen in the life of those who are following and in the life of the organization at large is that changes begin to take place, transformation begin to happen because the followers can trust their leaders, they can rely on the consistency of the leader. So, when leaders consistently communicate their expectations and hold themselves and others accountable to those expectations, it can create a more positive and productive work environment. So, consistency helps to establish clear boundaries and expectations, you know, which can reduce you know, what we call confusion and misunderstanding.
So, when we are looking at transformational leadership, one of the things that is actually required for a transformational leadership to happen is that consistency and we read from the account in the Bible, the Bible says Jesus began to do and to teach. Jesus was consistent, what he was teaching, He was also doing what He was teaching. Jesus was not doing contrary to what He was teaching, and He was not saying certain things, and doing something different from what He was saying. And this is why the leadership of Jesus was transformational in the degree and manner that we saw it. People were able to gravitate towards him because there is something about him that is consistent, and everyone who associated with him wants to be part of that thing that makes Jesus, Jesus and who He is.
So, consistency is very important if you and I must experience transformational outcomes in our leadership.
Now, the second key word from that passage which I infer from it, is credibility. Now, when we’re talking about credibility, credibility connotes, you know, the quality of being believed or accepted as true, as real and as honest. That is what credibility talks about, it talks about the quality of being believed or accepted as true, as real and also as honest. So, a leader who is deemed credible by people usually don’t struggle to get followership. If you’re a credible leader, people will naturally gravitate towards you, and they would want to follow you. Your organization will gravitate towards you, and they want to, you know, follow you.
Now many people are finding it very difficult, for example, to vote certain politicians again simply because such politicians are not credible. You know, in the last elections in Nigeria, for example, there were many politicians who lost the election simply because the people felt that they were not credible leaders. The opportunity that they gave them to serve them, they didn’t serve them well. So, they could not return them back to the same office. That is what happens when you are a leader who lacks credibility, it will be very difficult for you to, you know, garner followers, it will be very difficult for people to say they want to follow you or they want to follow in your goals and aspirations and the visions that you have in that leadership.
So, for you to be, you know, a transformational leader, you must be credible at all cost. Every leader who will be transformation must be credible at all costs. Now, how do you then become a credible leader because you may be wondering, okay, how can I become a credible leader? You see, the Bible says in Ephesians 4:1, apostle Paul gave us the answer to becoming a credible leader. You know, Paul said in Ephesians 4:1, let me quickly read. It says: “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called…”
Now, you may be wondering what is my calling as a leader? You see, your calling is that leadership. Every leader’s calling is his leadership assignment. So that means you need to stick with your leadership purpose, and you don’t deviate from it, you need to stick with your leadership vision and you don’t deviate from it. This is when you can be deemed as a credible leader. Let people always find you walking worthy every day and every time they have the reason to come in contact with you, let them also you know, be able to trust in you, let them also be able to put their confidence in you simply because you are a credible leader and you are a leader you know that can be held accountable for his or her actions.
So, let us conclude this way. Now, two things are required for us to be able to take the people we are leading or the organization we are leading from where it is right now, to where it is supposed to be. Now, those two things are what we call inspiration and motivation. Now, don’t forget, we said that transformational leadership has so much to do with inspiring the followers and motivating the followers to be able to achieve their full potential. So, for you to be able to take the people you are leading from where they are, to where they ought to be, it means that you must be inspiring enough, you must be motivating enough for people to be able to trust you and gravitate towards you. And you will also need to be consistent and credible as a leader, if you are going to see that transformational outcome that you are yearning for in your leadership.
So, these two things are very important and germane to what transformational leadership has to do in our leadership. Now, I believe you’ve gotten one or two things that you are going to run with in this piece today. This is what has been laid in my heart to share with us, please let’s try as much as possible to be inspiring enough and to be motivating enough. This is what can bring about the transformational outcomes that we are looking for in our leadership. Thank you for the gift of your time. My name remains Abiola Obayomi. Please don’t forget to share this podcast. Also drop your comments with me in the comment section so that we can get to interact with ourselves on the things that we’ve talked about today on Leaderview. Till next time, remain transformational in your leadership.
God bless you.
[Centre for New Dimension Leadership]
