1) Challenging the Process
Challenging the process is a way of life for transformational leaders. By either creating new ideas or recognizing and supporting new ideas, leaders show willingness to challenge the system in order to turn these ideas into actions and to get new products, processes, and services adopted. They seek out challenging opportunities that test their skills and abilities and look for innovative ways to improve their organizations. Transformational leaders are willing to change the status quo. They experiment and take risks with new approach. Learning, for them, is a lifelong behavior. In order to succeed, leaders must be prepared to make mistakes because every false step opens the door to a new opportunity. Instead of punishing failure, they encourage it. They learn from their mistakes rather than shift the blame on someone else (Kouzes & Posner, 1995, 2002).
2) Inspiring the Shared Vision
Inspiring a shared vision is vital for bringing people in any organization together to foster a commitment to a shared future they seek to create. Transformational leaders passionately believe that they can make a difference by envisioning the future and creating an ideal and unique image of what the organization can become. They inspire such a vision in their followers with a positive and hopeful outlook. They generate enthusiasm and excitement for the common vision from others through genuineness and skillful use of metaphors, symbols, positive language, and personal energy (Kouzes & Posner, 1995, 2002).
3) Enabling Other to Act
Enabling others to act fosters collaboration and empowerment. Enabling others to act means involve others in planning and give them freedom of choice in the decision-making. Enabling others to act allows followers to do their job and to realize their full potential. Transformational leaders strive to create an atmosphere of trust and human dignity and to help each person feel capable and powerful. They consider the needs and interests of others and let them feel as if they carry ownership and responsibility in the organization.
4) 4) Modeling the Way
Modeling the way means leaders go first. Transformational leaders set an example and build commitment through daily acts that create progress and momentum. They create a program of excellence and then set the example for others to follow. To model the way leaders need to have a philosophy, a set of high standards by which the organization is measured, a set of principles concerning the way people should be treated, and the way goals should be pursued that make the organization unique and distinctive. These leaders show by example that they live by the values they advocate. They believe that consistency between words and deeds builds their credibility as transformational leaders (Kouzes & Posner, 1995, 2002).
5) 5) Encouraging the Heart
People often need encouragement and motivation to achieve the goals set by the organization. Successful leaders have high expectations for themselves and their employees. Their credibility is based on their record of achievements, dedication, and daily demonstrations of what and how things need to be done. By influencing employee motivation, leaders attach rewards and recognition to job performance.