Part III: Understanding the Impact of Leadership Crucibles in Shaping Leaders
A transformational story consists of the retelling of a pivotal event in one’s life and its effects upon the individual who experienced it. The person who recounts the story is the protagonist and shares how he/she is now a different person as a result of having lived through a particular experience. Positive and intense experiences can both be impactful. Individuals who learn from pivotal experiences, especially negative ones, often have the necessary skills to become extraordinary leaders.
This paper will explore my personal transformational story where I experienced a great time of crisis, adversity, and stress, which led to profound insights about my motivations/desires to lead and improve as a leader. Specifically, this paper will:
1. Describe the circumstances that led up to the transformational experience, the experience itself, and why/how it affected me.
2. Share the leadership lessons learned as a result of the circumstance and explain how I could apply these lessons in my personal and professional life to be a more effective leader.
Transformational Experience
A transformational experience for me was enrolling in the Chartered Professional Accountancy program back in 2013 and completing it in 2015.
This experience took place almost
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For example, in my current role, I always try to listen before voicing my opinion in meetings. I like to listen to what is going on around me before telling my perspective. Also, I have learned to take my time and think things through before giving a resolution. I no longer rush to send out emails or other communications. I have also learned the importance of persuasion. I have successfully persuaded several people, including upper management, to come on board with some of my ideas, particularly in reference to the new Enterprise Resource Planning
This model has been used over decades in research to chime in on the importance of knowing the behavior of leader’s and their effect on those who work for them. According to Brymer and Gray (2006), effective transformational leadership ensures a supportive culture and does not require boundaries and guidance. The concept of transformational leadership was created to bring together leaders and those who work for them, which in turn impact those in whom they serve because their personality is viewed in a positive
The Leadership Challenge by Kouzes and Posner (2007) is the result of twenty years of research on the factors that influence and create great leadership. Through studies and stories from leaders with various backgrounds throughout the world, the practices and characteristics that create great leadership are delineated. Leadership is viewed not as a group of inherent characteristics, but as learned behavior that anyone can achieve. The goal of Kouzes and Posner’s book is to inspire and educate leaders through transformational leadership. As such, leadership is about mobilizing others to become and do extraordinary things.
In this document I will share how I was influenced to believe in my own ability. I will also share how my view about management and leadership was changed in one conversation and how that conversation boosted my confidence. I will also share the manager that influenced my learning the most and how through not just words but also actions he showed me that being a leader is not being the person sitting in an office barking instructions, but being the leader is someone who keeps motivating his team to want to accomplish more and be more through actions. I will also share my learning through this assignment, and recommendations on fixing
Transformational leadership can be defined as causing a change in individual and social system. Besides, transformational leaders usually connect follower’s aspirational with the organizational goal and persuade the followers to achieve the organizational goals to satisfy themselves (Tauber, 2012).
Tichy, N. M., & Ulrich, D. O. (2003). The Leadership Challenge-A Call for the Transformational Leader. In
As I have developed in my job, school, and as a person, I found that I enjoyed helping others and want to become a leader. This paper will further describe how my experiences and background have shaped the leader I am today.
I see myself developing into this type of leader by working to create valuable and positive change and empowering others to become leaders that also create valuable and positive change that they believe in. I will empower others to gain a sense of identity and self to the mission, be a role model that inspires others, challenge others to take ownership of their work, and provide understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of others. To be a transformational leader I will need to display the ability to communicate clearly, listen, collaborate, empower, build strong healthy relationships, and provide others with intellectual stimulation.
“Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail” is an article written by John P. Kotter in the Harvard Business Review, which outlines eight critical factors to help leaders successfully transform a business. Since leading requires the ability to influence other people to reach a goal, the leadership needs to take steps to cope with a new, more challenging global market environment. Kotter emphasizes the mistakes corporations make when implementing change and why those efforts create failure; therefore, it is essential that leaders learn to apply change effectively in order for it to be beneficial in the long-term (Kotter).
Transformational leaders want individuals to make a positive change in their lives and try to help people apply a positive change on a daily basis. The leaders do this by implementing individual considerations which, according to Kendrick (2011), “treats each follower as a unique contributor and provides coaching, mentoring, feedback and growth opportunities.” This makes such an impact on people because each individual is getting different mentoring, feedback, and growth opportunities due to their unique personality. It is very important for each person to have this because everyone has a different learning ability and motivation. This helps each individual with their own distinctive endeavor.
As a person who is for the most part uncomfortable with change, it is important that I find ways be a leader in a world that is ever changing. In order to be the best and most prepared leader as possible, it is necessary to be aware of one’s core identity and the values, talents, and strengths that are included in this. Consistent with the indications of Vaill’s term, “permanent white water”, the tendency of the world to change is unavoidable and “continual”. We as leaders must find ways to adapt and acclimate ourselves to these situations. Through the discovery of my core values, talents, leadership style, I will be able to develop an action plan to transform my talents into strengths and use leadership techniques to best accommodate my ambitions.
Discuss a leadership experience you have had in any area of your life - school, work, athletics, family, church, community, etc. How and why did you become a leader in this area? How did this experience influence your goals?
Transformational leaders birth new transformational leaders. Followers themselves become transformational leaders and a journey of extra mile partnership started.
I was a business manager of a utility company for about twelve years. I was responsible for four employees and the operation of the office. This was a job that I never thought I would leave, I loved it, and I looked forward to coming to work every day. Due to a situation out of my control and politics the administration changed and I could not support something that I did not believe in or feel was a good ethical practice. My leadership position provided me a variety of tasks, no one day was the same, I found the job challenging and but at the same time satisfying. The one practice that I maintained while in this position was that I wanted to lead by example. I would not ask an employee to do something that I would not do myself. I feel strongly that this practice was necessary to maintain the respect of my subordinates. Being a smaller office, I did maintain a personal relationship with those that worked for me, we built a strong team together. I also relate this leadership position closely with the skills needed in parenthood; to me the same skills are applied. The ability to guide, teach, re-direct and discipline are used in both
Throughout my life I have encountered the chance to experience position of being a leader. Being part of groups in university for class presentations, being the organizing secretary of my campus fellowship, being a youth leader in my church and the church admin, also being part of a family. Leaders are charismatic, inspirational and trust worthy. I have gained some important qualities of being a good leader through these experiences. Most of the valuable leadership’s characteristics that I obtained and strengthened are: learn to become a better leader every day, how to be a team player, to be a better listener, to be an effective communicator, to have more patience, not afraid of constructive criticism, to be outspoken, and to be a problem solver. Even though I have gained a lot, I still have more things to learn to become a better leader such as being more assertive, being more disciplined, becoming a better public speaker, and learn how to be realistic and not too optimistic. You are a leader if someone else choses to follow you.
From readings and life experiences, I have become cognizant that transformation is both internal and external and often about positive outcomes, as noted by Gleason,