TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP FOR A POST-PANDEMIC WORLD

There’s no “best” leadership style, no “magic bullet” when it comes to leading a company. But a certain style of leadership is ideal for certain circumstances.

- KRISHNA PAUPAMAH

At a time when companies are trying to think of out-of-the-box methods to navigate a post-pandemic future, when the old ways of doing business or work may no longer be applicable, leadership styles may need to change too.

Visionary leadership is said to be ideal for times when organisations are rethinking business models or setting new directions. Visionary leaders see the world differently. They are not limited by “shoulds” or “this is how things are always done”. They encourage others to experiment and innovate.

But vision without action is useless. Leaders who have their heads too much in the future will be “all ideas but no results”. Often, I find that leadership is not lacking in vision – they often have an abundance of it. What they lack, however, is good execution.

That’s why I prefer “transformational leadership”. It means being proactive instead of reactive. Getting things done instead of procrastinating. Turning vision into reality.

CULTIVATING TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP

Leadership expert James MacGregor Burns is said to have come up with the concept of transformational leadership in 1978. Transformational leadership, he said, will be transformative for both the leader and the follower.

In an ever-evolving world, organisations need to be proactive. They need to come up with new solutions to stay ahead of the time. During times like these, your company’s management will differentiate it from average to extraordinary.

Transformational leaders are needed because they:

•Encourage and unite people with a common goal

•Inspire people to reach higher

•Innovate and experiment, take risks and head out to new directions

•Make strategic plans on how to get there