Submitted by: Submitted by chastain
Views: 292
Words: 1232
Pages: 5
Category: Business and Industry
Date Submitted: 11/29/2011 12:20 PM
In business, leadership can create valuable, positive change in followers. However, transformational leadership is more much more empowering and engaging. It changes the was employees think. It changes employees’behavior. It is so powerful that it can not only change a company, but a whole industry. It raises employees’ attitudes, spirits and customer service to a new higher level of performance and sustains it there. Finally, a new work culture emerges, with incomparable excellence as the norm.
Trannsformational leadership, although difficult to achieve, foloows a step-by-step process. First, it begins with the creation of a vision, a view of the future which will electrify and change the wy employees think. Second, the transformational leader must “sell” his vision to employees. This requires the leader to be so full of energy and commitment tht the visionary message reaches employees at all levels. Third, a transformational leader uses his skills to solve problems. This creates motivation inspriration and insight to think “outside the box.” This further strengthens the vision. Finally, a transforammtional leaders remains up-front and accessible to employees, customers and stakeholders. He is always visable, willing to stand up and be counted.
In my opion, Herb Kelleher, former CEO and founder of Southwest Airlines, best exemplies and is synonomous with the concept of transformantional leadership. Southwest Airlines is a great example of a company built through visionary leadership, an shattering operational system and a legendary employee culture. Kelleher built long-term competitive advantage in a industry fraught with regulation, de-regulation, merger, bankruptcy and even collapse of its major players. Not only did he lead Southwest to thirty-seven (37) consecutive profitable years but he changed arline dynamics and primary directives. Profits became a by-product of great customer service and doing the right thing. Kelleher in short,...