The 4 “I’s” of Transformational Leadership

Last Updated July 1, 2022

Transformational leaders practice a style of leadership that inspires positive changes in both the employees under them and the organization as a whole. Equal parts visionary, mentor and source of inspiration, these leaders create a culture of innovation and positive change that leads to successful business outcomes. Transformational leaders do this by creating a distinctive culture within the organizations and teams that they lead.

It can be tempting to equate “transformational leadership” with a leader’s personality—thinking that strong, enthusiastic and/or passionate personalities are what drive transformational thinking, vision and change within an organization. While these may be the types of leaders who automatically come to mind, the characteristics of a transformational leader go much deeper and shouldn’t be thought of as innate personality traits or types. Becoming a transformational leader is about developing behaviors, strategies and actions, all grounded in leadership theory.

What are the 4 “I’s” of Transformational Leadership?

Most credit the concept of transformational leadership to James MacGregor Burns, a political science and leadership researcher, who in the 1970s defined the actions of transformational leadership as “when one or more persons engage with others in such a way that leaders and followers raise one another to higher levels of motivation and morality.”

In 1985, Bernard M. Bass, leadership researcher and professor at Binghamton University, expanded on Burns’ ideas to develop the Bass Transformational Leadership Theory, consisting of four main components of transformational leadership:

1. Intellectual Stimulation

Transformational leaders question the “this is the way we’ve always done things” mentally, taking on the status quo and challenging assumptions of even veteran leaders. They encourage this same mindset in their employees. This means emphasizing new experiences, new opportunities and innovative ways of thinking.

By emphasizing the opportunities to grow and learn, rather than focusing on the outcomes of the efforts, the transformational leader removes the “fear factor” from work, empowering employees to constantly be learning and looking for and acting upon opportunities, rather than playing it safe.

2. Individual Consideration

One of the key transformational leadership traits is the ability to transmit a sense of the larger culture to the individual, giving employees a feeling of ownership in company goals and independence in the workplace.

Transformational leaders do not dictate ideas from a bubble and then leave it to employees to carry them out. They are concerned with the professional development of employees and foster positive relationships with them. This involves keeping lines of communication open, attending to the individual needs of employees, mentoring them and recognizing each person’s unique contributions.

You can often identify a transformational leader by the trust, respect and admiration others feel for them. Transformational leaders do not micromanage. They lead by communicating a clear vision and creating a workplace where seasoned employees are trusted to make decisions in their assigned areas. All employees are encouraged to think creatively to find new solutions to longstanding challenges.

3. Inspirational Motivation

Employees want leaders to impart a vision that is appealing and worthy. Transformational leaders do that by communicating a vision so well, that followers internalize it and make the goal of achieving that vision their own. That starts with giving employees a strong sense of purpose and setting high standards and expectations for achievement.

The motivation to achieve is not fear-based but inspired by example. Transformational leaders set the high standards and expectations for themselves and then model it for their employees and the organization as a whole. Their actions instill the same sense of passion they feel into their followers, whether that be for a project, a goal or the larger organizational vision. Employees now have a strong sense of purpose and “mission mindset” to achieve their goals.

4. Idealized Influence

As mentioned above, the best way to impart inspirational motivation to employees is to positively model it. Transformational leaders serve as role models for employees in every way. That also includes modeling ethical and socially desirable behavior, maintaining a dedication to work goals and exhibiting enthusiasm about company strategy.

The foundation of this influence is trust and respect. Leaders who have developed idealized influence are trusted and respected by employees to make good decisions, and not just “for the good of the organization,” but for the good of the team and for them as individuals. With this trust, employees become followers who want to emulate their leaders and internalize their ideals.

Transformational Leadership Compared to Other Leadership Styles

These four “I’s” of transformational leadership laid the foundation for the philosophy and continue to help delineate it from other styles of leadership. Let’s look at the relationship between transformational leadership and those leadership philosophies with a similar style and sound:

Transformational Leadership vs. Visionary Leadership

Some use the terms “visionary leadership” and “transformational leadership” interchangeably. A transformational leader may also be a visionary leader when the situation calls for it. Visionary leaders look for new possibilities for the future of an organization, team or product. Then they help others to conceptualize those visions and inspire them to find their own solutions. The difference between these leadership styles lies in a true transformational leader’s ability to inspire the development of new ideas. Even if the vision is not their own, transformational leaders can nurture it toward reality.

Transformational Leadership vs. Transactional Leadership

While visionary leadership may be very similar to transformational leadership, transactional and transformational leadership take opposite approaches, particularly to motivation. Transformational leadership plays the long game, focusing on individual and organizational growth instead of short-term achievement. Transactional leaders establish criteria for success and then reward or penalize team members based on how well they perform. This style of leadership is primarily results oriented and tends to be more appropriate when the goal is to complete specific tasks within a limited time frame.

Both of these styles of leadership can be utilized and even combined to best serve a team’s function and achieve desired goals. It falls to the leader to recognize which leadership approach can best motivate employees to achieve those goals.

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