What Makes a Transformational Leader?

Post date: Jun 3, 2015 12:34:10 AM

Gerry A. Deocareza

Master Teacher I

Bataan National High School

Last May 25-27, 2015 I attended an International Seminar Workshop for Teachers and School Administrators about the Legal Procedural Rules and Transformational Leadership while having a short vacation with my family at the summer capital of the Philippines, Baguio City. So instead of joining with them visiting beautiful scenic spots of the city I decided for myself to attend the seminar. It is so interesting to know what makes a good leader or a transformational leader. Being a teacher we must possess such qualities of being a transformational leader of this country. We must make use of our connection that would certainly help this country or our organization bring about positive changes that would benefit our organization or society as a whole. One of the invited speakers was Dr. Terry Michael Rippy from the Southern Arkansas University who discussed about Transformational Leadership. He enumerated the ways on how a transformational leadership can be applied. According to him one has to make a compelling case for change, the leader must inspire a shared vision. He/she must instil a sense of urgency. The change must be embedded through hiring, monitoring, and through evaluating and rewarding and uses a Bubble-up and trickle down techniques. In order to become a transformation leader we must become a motivator. He uses the Maslow’s motivational model to motivate would be leader that in order to motivate one must meet the needs of the people. We motivate either by giving rewards like money, special projects, incentives or promotions for employees or additional grades or gifts for our performing students. If an employee or a teacher is well-motivated in his work he/she really do his best to perform well in his task. But when do we need a transformation leader? As a teacher we are concerned about the learning of our students we must always find ways for them to learn even if it is a complex problem. We must make it simple and easy for them to understand. Another is when discipline is not working and schools become dangerous and not safe for learners. When the students are failing or a great number of drop-outs and students never start going to school or when there is low teacher morale because of some circumstances. Government leaders and school administrators must initiate morale booster for teachers and employees for the benefit of a successful organization or hierarchy. Dr. Rippy gave us hints if we as teachers or administrators are already a transformational leader in our own way. One is, if we dream about solving problems, embrace change, plan in advance to avoid problems, understand and can take criticism, understand the cycle of transforming, choose rules to follow that enhance our leadership and ignore or slightly enforce rules that we do not feel are useful to the success of the organization. A transformational leader must be innovative, have strong beliefs, transform the thinking of others, risk taker, visionary, loves work and able to attract and inspire others. He even describe a transformational leader as enthusiastic, passionate, genuine, energetic, developer of followers, empower followers, inspires creativity, listens to others and communicates well. Now ask yourself if you are now a transformational leader. If those qualities are in you consider yourself a transformational leader and a great teacher.