To be remembered as a teacher that left a mark in a person’s life requires extensive effort and determination. Transformational leadership is defined as the process of engaging with others and creating a connection that raises the level of motivation and morality in both the leader and the follower (Northouse, 2016, p. 162). Teachers are a perfect example of transformational leaders because most aim to inspire their students to evolve and grow to their full potential. I can vividly remember the impact most of my teachers have left on becoming who I am today. So I will attempt to evaluate how my teachers performed transformational leadership by explaining the four factors that compose it.
The first factor of a transformational leader is the idealized influence, which is defined as the emotional component of leadership. This factor expresses leaders as strong role models for followers who look up to them for support and development. A teacher works as a role model for students to trust and take as an example and be inspired to become successful individuals.
The second factor of a transformational leader is inspirational motivation, in which leaders aim to communicate high expectations to their followers, inspiring them to be part of a shared vision (Northouse, 2016, p. 168). Teachers can express the value of education to their students by making the learning environment exciting to spark their motivation.
The third factor of a transformational leader is intellectual stimulation focuses on making followers creative and innovative. This factor is about encouraging students to want to try new approaches and develop innovative ways when dealing with tough tasks in the learning environment.
The last factor is individualized consideration, which is about providing a supportive environment in which they can listen to their follower’s individual needs (Northouse, 2016, p. 169). Every student is unique and requires separate attention. Classrooms with less than 20 students are ideal for providing the needed attention and appreciation of the differences each student has to offer.
References:
Northouse, P. G. (2016). Leadership: Theory and practice (7th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.