Leadership transformation is a process in which leaders and their followers elevate each other to higher levels of morality and motivation, by inspiring followers to achieve performance levels that exceed expectations. This is done by changing the attitudes, beliefs and values of followers, which enhances positive interaction and innovation within the work environment.
Leadership transformation is a pivotal factor in enhancing performance within companies by motivating employees and developing their skills to achieve exceptional results. At the economic level, leadership transformation enhances the ability of companies to innovate and adapt to change, which contributes to increased competitiveness and economic growth. For individuals, leadership transformation contributes to developing leadership skills, building self-confidence, and achieving personal and professional excellence, which leads to the creation of leaders capable of influence and growth.
Leadership transformation is built on several main foundations that aim to motivate individuals and enhance their ability to change and grow. The most prominent of these foundations are:
Vision and Inspiration
An inspiring leader sets a clear vision for the future and motivates followers to achieve it by enhancing internal motivation and generating enthusiasm.
Personal role model: The leader becomes a role model through his actions and behaviors, which enhances his credibility and increases his influence on others.
Empowerment and participation
Leadership transformation depends on empowering employees and giving them opportunities to express their opinions and participate in decision-making, which enhances their sense of responsibility and belonging.
Continuous development
Leadership transformation relies on leaders investing in developing the skills of their employees through ongoing training and coaching.
Change and motivation
Transformational leaders encourage continuous change and adaptation to a changing environment, which contributes to improved performance and the development of ideas.
Focus on values
The focus is on promoting positive values and beliefs that contribute to building a work environment based on cooperation and mutual respect.
Based on these foundations, transformational leaders can have a significant impact on their teams, and encourage innovation and growth within organizations.
One of the companies that contributed to spreading leadership transformation is SABIC, one of the largest petrochemical companies in the world, which adopted leadership transformation as an essential tool for achieving sustainable growth and expanding into new markets. The company faced a challenge in improving leadership performance and increasing its ability to innovate in light of the rapid changes in the global market, which made developing leadership skills of utmost importance.
To meet this challenge, SABIC launched several initiatives, including the Transformational Leaders Program, which focuses on strategic leadership skills and motivation, in addition to continuous training and mentoring programs for new managers. These initiatives contributed to improving performance and increasing innovation within the company, as it witnessed a significant increase in productivity and new solutions to industrial challenges, and job satisfaction among employees increased.
The lessons learned from this experience lie in the importance of developing leadership skills, empowering and motivating teams, and investing in continuous training. Leadership transformation has played a pivotal role in improving organizational performance and enhancing the company’s competitiveness in the market. A study by the Center for Creative Leadership showed that 43% of employees in companies that implement leadership transformation strategies expressed their willingness to stay in their jobs for longer periods compared to companies that do not adopt this leadership model. This figure reflects the importance of leadership transformation in strengthening the relationship between the employee and the organization, as transformational leaders work to improve the work environment and increase levels of job satisfaction, which contributes to strengthening organizational loyalty.
Summary
Transformational leadership is emerging as a powerful tool to drive performance and achieve excellence in organizations. By adopting transformational leadership strategies, companies can improve innovation, enhance employee satisfaction, and increase competitiveness. Transformational leaders not only achieve current goals, but also contribute to creating an inspiring and productive work environment, which enhances the sustainability of the organization’s future success and growth. In light of the accelerating challenges in global markets, transformational leadership becomes a key factor in enabling companies to meet these challenges and achieve sustainable excellence.