Download Transformational leadership six processes

Transformational leadership six processes
There are six processes (although others may classify these differently):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Developing a shared vision
Inspiring and communicating
Valuing others
Challenging and stimulating
Developing trust
Enabling
1. Developing a shared vision
This includes providing a sense of mission, vision, excitement and pride. Providing a sense of
pride is recognised as contributing to developing a shared vision (Bass 1985).
Investing in nursing and seeing the possibilities is linked to developing a vision of nursing and
healthcare. Leaders inculcate values and beliefs through living them constantly and
consistently (Schein 1992; Sashkin & Rosenbach 1993).
To enable a shared vision requires:
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knowing one's own mission and vision as this may contribute to articulating what is
possible;
being able to facilitate others to develop and articulate their vision.
Senge et al (1994:223) defines vision as the "what" - the picture of the future we seek to
create' and mission as the purpose the "why". He states that:
`a vision is truly shared when you and I have a similar picture and are committed to one
another having it, not just to each of us individually having it'
(Senge et al, 1994:206).
Developing a shared vision involves the emancipatory processes of developing critical intent
and identifying the possibilities.
2. Inspiring and communicating
This involves setting high expectations, and showing what is possible. It means
communicating a vision, focusing attention of others on key ideas, active listening, and
providing feedback.
Sashkin (1976) identified active listening, as well as giving and receiving feedback, as a form
of communication.
Communication strategies are pivotal to both involving others and providing a sense of
direction and achievement. However you need to communicate in a variety of ways. For
example written communication, although extensive, often cannot be accessed. This can lead
to individuals feeling excluded. Direct personal communication may prove a catalyst with
individuals, and enable inclusivity.
The emancipatory processes of seeing the possibility, creating critical intent and widening
participation as more people become involved, are also relevant.
3. Valuing others
This means focusing on and recognising achievements by others. It includes focusing on
individual needs, caring about others, encouraging and valuing others.
Knight (1994) highlighted the importance of nurses feeling valued by their peers. This
contributed to their sense of credibility.
Transformational leadership processes centre on building relationships with people.
Individuals are valued and there is a focus on their needs. This in turn is linked to learning
and development. Individual responsibility is encouraged (Sashkin & Rosenbach 1993; Bass
1985), based on the caring philosophy of Carl Rogers (1983). Such responsibility involves the
demonstration of respect and concern for people.
Valuing individuals is demonstrated through providing support - one of the core values in
effective organisations (Kotter & Heskett 1992) and effective leadership (Sashkin 1976).
4. Challenging and stimulating
This involves enabling a flow of new ideas. Individuals can challenge the current process and
suggest new ways forward. They can develop their problem-solving skills, and search for
opportunities for improvement through experimenting and taking minimal risks (Kouzes &
Posner 1987; Saskin & Burke 1990; Bass 1985).
These leadership processes are consistent with the processes of critique and reflection
necessary for achieving staff empowerment through using emancipatory processes.
5. Developing trust
Developing trust respect through words and actions, (Sashkin & Burke 1990; Bass 1985)
involves consistently practising one’s espoused values.
6. Enabling
Enabling is demonstrated through creating opportunities for involvement, developing one's
role, supporting risk-taking, and enabling others to act. This is done by acting as a sounding
board, fostering collaboration and involvement, ‘modelling the way’, and ‘modelling nursing’,
processes, problem solving, use of research, collaboration, change and involving others.
Such processes reflect Kouzes & Posner (1987) leadership behaviours. You can enable
others to act by fostering collaboration and supporting others in their development. In
modelling the way, leaders focus on step by step accomplishments.
Enablement is consistent with the emancipatory processes that help practitioners to
undertake activities they may not have previously considered. Consequently practitioners
start challenging the assumptions about their own practice and context which they previously
may have taken for granted.
Self-confidence is a pre-requisite to leadership. The transformational leader’s role is to enable
others to become self-reliant and confident (Sashkin & Rosenbach 1993). The leader should
also create opportunities, support and enable greater risk-taking and development of others
(Sashkin & Burke 1990; Kouszes & Posner 1987).
Leaders enable empowerment by sharing power with others. They use their own cognitive
abilities to construct an organisational context or culture that allows followers to exercise and
expand their own cognitive abilities, and become more capable of defining and enacting their
own visions (Sashkin & Rosenbach 1993). In transformational leadership the leader, followers
and the social system in which they work are all transformed (Saskin & Rosenbach 1993).