Want your business to actually last?
Most entrepreneurs obsess over strategy, product and marketing. Those are important. But if you want to build something truly special, start by focusing on transformational leadership skills first.
Truth bomb incoming:
Legacy businesses aren’t built through good management. They’re built through incredible leadership.
Leadership that people will follow. Leaders that employees will trust. Leaders who think about the long term.
These are skills you can learn. Practical skills you can master, hone and apply to your business right now.
They’ll transform your team, your business and everything you’re trying to build.
Here’s what you’ll learn:
- Transformational Leadership Skills Definition
- Why Transformational Leadership Skills are Important For Entrepreneurs
- The Transformational Leadership Skills Every Entrepreneur Needs
- How to Immediately Start Applying Transformational Leadership Skills
Click any of the links above to jump to that section or read on!
Transformational Leadership Skills Defined
Transformational leadership skills are the practical skills that allow leaders to build deep trust, motivate action towards a common vision, and inspire real change.
It’s different to traditional management. Where traditional management focuses on “what” and “how” by hitting targets and maximising output, transformational leadership focuses on “who” and “why”.
Leaders who master these skills inspire. Influencing teams by developing a shared sense of purpose.
Four key skills define every transformational leader:
- Idealised influence: how they become trusted leaders through actions, not authority
- Inspirational motivation: how they paint a clear picture of what’s possible
- Intellectual stimulation: how they push their teams to think bigger
- Individualised consideration: how they coach and develop each individual
It’s not fluff. Research shows every time these skills are used the business results are measurable.
Why Entrepreneurs Need Transformational Leadership Skills
If you need proof those legendary leaders had something special, just look at what the greatest leaders of all time built.
Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Tony Hawk, Jacinda Ardern… The list of exemplary leaders goes on and on. What do they all have in common?
Well, for starters, they build unlikely legacies using nothing more than a handful of employees and a fearless dedication to their craft.
They all mastered transformational leadership skills.
History isn’t the only place you’ll see examples of extraordinary leadership either.
Gallup reports 50% greater employee engagement in teams with transformational leaders. That number isn’t arbitrary.
Engaged employees mean less turnover. More productivity. And teams that take real ownership over their work.
Leadership matters that much.
On the flip side, research by Quantum Workplace found 82% of poor employee engagement was attributed to bad leadership. You don’t have to look hard to find examples of businesses falling behind because they failed to lead properly.
Too many entrepreneurs learn that the hard way.
Good leadership does more than create a competitive advantage, though.
Business built on trust, empowerment and vision consistently outperform their competitors:
Teams with transformational leaders are 22% more productive.
Teams that approach leadership with longevity in mind… build legacies.
The 4 Transformational Leadership Skills Every Entrepreneur Needs
Inspiring others starts with how you lead right now.
Here are four areas you can improve tomorrow:
Communicate A Clear Vision
All transformational leaders have one thing in common. They know where they’re going.
More importantly, they make sure everyone around them knows it too.
You don’t have to be the next Elon Musk, creating businesses that literally change the world. But if your vision isn’t clearly defined (and communicated consistently) neither is your business.
Lead With Trust and Empowerment
At the end of the day trust is the foundation of every successful team.
Without trust there is no loyalty. There is no ‘going above and beyond’. There is just employees showing up and doing their job because they have to.
Earn trust through action. Follow through on what you say. Keep your team informed. And always put your employees first.
Want to know how leaders build teams that trust them?
They practice radical transparency.
Empowerment goes hand in hand with trust. Learn to delegate with trust, not fear. Allow your team to own tasks from start to finish. And celebrate every win along the way.
Grow and Develop Others
When you develop your team, your business grows with it.
70% of employees would work harder if they felt their efforts were better recognised. That should tell you everything you need to know about crafting your leadership style around empowering others.
Growing your team starts with the relationships you build.
Invest in your team, and they’ll invest in you.
Some call it karma. Others call it business.
Think Long-Term
According to Gallup only 23% of employees worldwide are actively engaged at work. That means most teams aren’t driven to put their best foot forward.
They simply show up day after day and get through their work.
Imagine if that wasn’t the case for your employees.
What if your team were putting forth 150%, not 60%?
That starts with leadership.
Think long-term. Build a culture that reflects your mission. And don’t be afraid to let your leaders lead.
How to Instantly Start Improving Your Leadership Skills
If you know what you should be doing but finding it hard to make it happen, you’re not alone.
Everyone knows the value of good leadership. Making it happen is another story.
Like anything worth doing, you have to start somewhere. So pick one of the four pillars above and own it for the next 30 days.
Is vision lacking? Clarify your vision and work to strengthen it daily.
Trust isn’t where it needs to be? Have the tough conversations and start building trust with your team.
Commit to one thing and spend the next month improving it. You’ll be surprised how far your skills can grow by taking action.
Another trick is to take leadership books apart.
Pick a leader you admire, or someone you think builds legacies. What do they focus on? How do they interact with their employees? What are they willing to compromise on and what are they not?
Learn whatever you can from them. Then go be greater.
The irony of learning how to be a better leader? You do have to start somewhere. Even if you started yesterday.
Let’s Review…
You’ve made it to the end. Congrats!
Here’s your cheat sheet on why transformational leadership skills are important.
Transformational leadership skills:
- Are essential if you want to build a lasting business
- Will grow your business, team and vision
- Start with communication and trust
- Lead to empowered employees
- Are built by thinking long-term
Ready to start building yours?
