Richard Cox asked:
Becoming a leader is a fascinating, scary and profound process. Each person has their own unique path to walk. We all have specific strengths and weaknesses that we first need to uncover, and then work on. We all have our own challenges to overcome to become the person that are required to be to successfully navigate our path.
There will be many people that choose not to unlock their inner workings, due to the fact that we are driven by two processes – avoidance of pain and creation of pleasure. We will do more to avoid pain than to pursue pleasure, and for that reason, most of us never look inside, for the fear of finding something that we do not like.
Take heart, for if you are to become the leader that you truly desire to be, courage is an attribute that will serve you well on the journey. There will be times that we will be challenged to the end of our understanding, before the change will occur. Also know that what you seek is ultimately inside you anyway. All the strength, power, love, knowledge and understanding is within you, waiting to be developed.
What is most important is to have personal vision. If you stood on a river bank, wanting to get across, vision will get you there. From vision comes strategy, and then action. Some get caught up in constant vision, dreaming and hoping that the bridge will appear magically, or that someone else will build it for them. Unless you believe in magic and are skilled at using it, this is not a likely way of proceeding. Others make grand plans, and never execute them. Good intentions only take you half way. To complete the system, action is required.
Some will just take action, not thinking about the result that they want to achieve. Lots of energy output, but not much results. Receiving and evaluting feedback is the final piece that gives continuity to the vision, strategy and action, allowing constant course correcting and modification where necessary.
The synergy of these parts creates a momentum that sees the project through – without each part, the while system does not work well.
How does this relate to Transformational Leadership? Most of the time in transformational leadership, you will have to know why you are doing something, how you will achieve it, have the will to do it, and change yourself all at the same time.
You might not have the resources you need now, but they can be made available if you have the vision and ability to pass that vision onto others in a way that empowers then to become motivated to achieve that vision. Transformational leadership is about making the personal changes necessary so that others can see that demonstration, and so be willing to do the same.
You are able to develop the skills required to become a Transformational Leader, if you have the vision to do so.