The technology industry is a world of innovation, inspiration, and remarkable stories. However, we don’t always remember that this industry has also been shaped by great leaders, like you.
Throughout history we realize that there are countless examples.
As a leader in one of the most rapidly changing industries, it’s not hard to think that you have many people following you, listening to your story and being inspired by your example to develop professionally and personally.
And, wherever you go and whoever you talk to, you are already a point of reference for your team, your company, and your community. But do people become a better version of themselves when they meet you?
A transformational leader is one who stimulates and inspires followers to achieve extraordinary results as they grow and develop as new leaders, resulting in stronger relationships and greater harmony within the company.
To become a transformational leader, you need to employ 4 indispensable components such as intellectual stimulation, individualized consideration, inspirational motivation, and idealized influence.
Let’s see what it’s all about.
How to become a transformational leader in the IT industry?
The concept of transformational leadership can be applied to any industry. However, in an environment where companies and individuals must quickly adapt to technological changes and be a promoter of the digital transformation, the need for stronger leadership is imminent to stay competitive and ahead of the curve.
And although as a CIO or IT Director, you may think that information technology requires many structures, procedures, processes, and project development that are more of a transactional leadership style, in the end it is the human capital that will determine the success of the expected results. – Hence the importance of empowering and inspiring our followers.
Now, let’s look at the 4 components of transformational leadership that you need to take into consideration with your team and work environment:
Idealized Influence:
This component is based on the idea of leading by example. Group members see themselves strongly represented by the leader and want to emulate his or her footsteps, sense of responsibility and ethics.
In other words, this leader has earned the respect and admiration of his or her followers for acting in the right way, resulting in increased motivation for everyone to take on new challenges as a group.
Intellectual stimulation:
Simply put, the intellectual stimulation a leader has towards a follower refers to how the leader can challenge any assumptions, take risks, and solicit ideas from the members of the team.
This type of stimulation generates greater creativity and innovation because the leader works together with followers to develop new ideas and solutions that also allow the optimal development of the organization and the individual as such.
Inspirational motivation:
Most of the time, a leader’s success is based on how clearly, he or she can see the future, and how well he or she can communicate that vision with the rest of the team so that they also share and are motivated to make that vision a reality.
This type of motivation focuses on the confidence and optimism that a leader has towards his followers regarding their ability to achieve goals.
A transformational leader, then, provides a sense of responsibility and purpose to everyone in relation to the results of the entire group. In other words, everyone’s contribution is essential to the outcome.
Individualized consideration:
As followers we can notice whether our leader is genuinely interested in our growth or not. With individualized consideration, a leader attends to the individual and personal needs of each group member by acting as a mentor and guide in their development and performance within the organization.
This component also helps the leader to know in detail the different capabilities and talents that each follower can offer to the team.
Are you a transformational leader?
Leadership styles can vary for each individual.
However, it is important to consider that our behavior and decisions can affect the growth and development of the other members of our team.
Evaluate yourself, know yourself and aim to improve a little bit every day. Surely over time, you will create a positive and invaluable impact on each of your followers on a professional and personal level.
