As a leader in your business, or of your team - how would you answer this question, "Are you a transactional leader or a transformational leader?"
This concept was first outwardly highlighted to me by the Positive Coaching Alliance and a presentation I witnessed (I encourage any parent with kids in youth sports to go to this site). They likened transactional and transformational in this way:
- Transactional coaches/parents are focused and concerned about winning the game in front of them.
- Transformational coaches/parents are focused and concerned about supporting their child's development and growth through sports with winnning as a component.
How does this transactional/transformational distinction translate into business and leadership?
Do you, your company or leadership focus on that sale in front of you? Making that monthly number by any way possible? Stripping each last efficiency out of current processes?
Do you see success as hitting that KPI?
Or, are you a company/leader that concentrates on the the longer term path and journey to move your organization to a new level? Making numbers because the processes and value chain are established to bring that consistency and ability for growth? I have written many posts and conduct a half-day workshop on respecting success and pushing to failure. I am one that coaches basketball and leads in the office through a transformational, or growth, mindset.
However, different organizations need one over the other at various times. Generally, there will be leaning towards one or the other. An organizaton can be transactional when it needs to when it's established a transformational mindset. It's hard to do it the other way around.