Transformational leadership is focused on change within yourself, others, groups, and organizations. Transformational leaders are also people oriented. They truly care about people and they show this by actively listening to them and expressing empathy towards them. They are passionate, energized and encourage others to embrace a shared vision. Charisma is an essential personality trait of a transformational leader. The four factors of transformational leadership are individual consideration, intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation and idealized influence. These factors are essential for a leader to meet the needs of 21st century learning.
How can transformational leadership flourish in a learning environment?
Many times a learning environment needs a transformational leader. There are changes that need to made in the learning environment in order to effectively meet the needs of the students. A transformational leader can lead a group of teachers, other staff members, parents and community members as they work towards a shared vision.
How can transformational leadership impact the way an administrator leads a school?
School administrators are challenged with leading a diverse group of individuals who deal with so many different situations on a daily basis. An administrator must give individual attention to their faculty and staff members. This is a characteristic of a transformational leader. If the administrator is able to show others that they are genuinely concerned about them, then they will be able to gain their trust. This will enable them to encourage people to go on even when things get tough. When problems arise in a school, a transformational leader can help others find new and innovative ways to solve problems. If administrators are transformational leaders they communicate their expectations and model the behavior they expect. This will certainly allow faculty members to understand what needs to be done and will motivate them to do it well.
How can transformational leadership impact the school administrator as he/she leads integrating technology with instruction?
If a school administrator wants to lead the teachers as they effectively integrate technology into their classroom lessons, then they will need to be transformational leaders. It will be important for them to model these behaviors for their faculty and staff by utilizing technology to communicate and collaborate with the staff. They need to spend time with individual teachers to find out about their strengths and needs so that they can offer teachers support in this endeavor. Another characteristic of a transformational leader is that they set high expectations for their faculty to meet the group goals. It is important to convey those expectations related to technology integration to the teachers and hold them accountable as they find ways to integrate technology.
