HOW TRANSFORMATION TAKES PLACE (Dubrin p.

84)

Premise:

a. Leaders often encounter the need to transform organizations:

a. From low performance to acceptable performance; or
b. From acceptable performance to high performance; or
c. From crisis situation to high ground. (this is what leaders are made for)
b. Strategy: Overhaul the organizational culture / sub-culture & undertake immense process of
organizational change; a great task:

1. Raising people’s awareness: Transformational leadership makes members aware of the

importance and value of certain rewards and how to achieve them.

Ex. Experience of pride and financial rewards when the firm succeeds.

2. Helping people look beyond self-interest: helps group members look at the “big picture” /
collective good of the team and the organization.
3. Helping people search for self-fulfillment: helps members sacrifice minor satisfaction and focus
on the quest for self-fulfillment / bigger satisfaction for the organization.
4. Helping people understand the need for change, both emotionally and intellectually: unhook
members from undesirable situation / manages resistance to change by helping them:
a. Recognize the undesirability to present state or practices
b. Discard the same, and
c. Thus learn the new idea / new behavior patterns.
5. Investing managers with the sense of urgency
a. Assembles critical number of managers and imbues in the urgency of change
b. Shares and sells top leader’s vision
c. Utilizes available resources to implement change
6. Committing to greatness (commitment to business effectiveness)
a. Business profits
b. High stock value
c. Impeccable / high ethics
d. Customer service and quality
e. Involvement
7. Adapting long range (futuristic) and broad perspective of organizational issues:
a. Forward looking orientation for transformation to take place
8. Building trust between leaders and group members
a. Impose transparency on the entire organization
b. That everyone knows what everyone is doing
9. Concentrating resources on areas that need the most change:
Ex. NYPD Police Chief Bill Bratton concentrated resources on narcotics squad to combat
narcotics-related crimes, likewise, Bill Brenneman at Burger King

HOW TO BECOME TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER

 1. Create an inspiring vision: vision sets out the team / organizational purpose
a. Start with company’s mission and vision
b. Explore ways how the team can contribute
c. Understand the “values” of the people to lead
d. Understand the capabilities and resources of the organization
e. Conduct intelligent analysis of the environment the best way forward.
2. Motivate people to but into and deliver the vision
a. Appeal to people’s values
b. Inspire them where you’re going to lead them and why
c. Tell storied of business success as your call to action
d. Often talk about your vision
e. Link your vision to people’s goals and tasks to give it context
f. Help people see how they can contribute to it, and
g. Know the “motivation theories”, and use them to inspire them to deliver their best.
c.f. HRD Trainer’s Guide, Donaldson et. al. p.111

N.B. Hawthorne Electric (Elton Mayo et al), McGregor’s Dual Theory, Maslow’s Hierarchy,
Skinner’s BehaMod, Vroom’s Expectancy Thoery

3. Manage Delivery of the vision:

Vision is no use of its own; need to become a reality

Many leaders develop a vision but fail to put it into reality and deliver it

How to do it?

a. Combine effective project management and with change management

b. Communicate clearly each person’s role and responsibilities and connect them to your
plans
c. Set SMART goals (short-term) for everyone to help them achieve quick wins and stay
motivated
d. Apply Management By Objective (MBO) to link short-term achievements to your long
term goal
e. Maintain your “self-discipline and stamina” to keep yourself afloat
f. Set good example to your people if they are affected by difficulties / delays by being
model of hard work and persistence
g. Stay visible by practicing MBWA, ideal technique to stay connected to daily activities and
to provide open/regular communication and feedback to group members

N.B. Clear Communication is essential to Transformational Leadership

4. Build ever-stronger, trust-based relationship with your people:

a. Work constantly to build relationships with your people, earn their trust and help them
grow as individuals
 b. Meet you people individually to “understand their development needs” and help them
achieve their career goals.
c. Build trust with your people by being open and honest in your interactions
d. Set aside time to coach your people
e. Help them find their own solutions and thereby create a skilled team and at the same
time, strengthen their confidence and their trust in you.

Corollaries on Attitude and Motivation

“Your Altitude (in life) is determined to your Attitude”

“A Spring cannot rise higher than its source”