Transformational Leadership Reflection

I would define transformational leadership as a leadership that creates change. Individuals who are part of the transformational leadership are motivated to work toward the goals of the organization and are inspired to take leadership roles and responsibilities which allows the individual to grow and develop on a personal level. When people within an organization grow, develop and change then so can the organization. Kenneth A. Leithwood (2007) describes transformational leadership as a leadership that "emphasis emotions and values and shares in common fundamental aim of fostering capacity development and higher levels of personal commitment to organizational goals" (192). Within a transformational leadership organization, the motivation to work comes from within the individual to want to perform for the organization.

In a learning environment transformational leadership can flourish by the people. When transformational leadership exist within alearning environment the people involved understand that it is not about working to achieve personal goals but to work as whole. Like Richard Cox describes in the Transformational Leadership Report (2007), "this approach to leadership takes us from a constricting model of competition between individuals, teams or nations, to a connection with a whole of a situation, and leadership for the good of all" (p. 19).   The people involved work together to bring out the best in each other and the organization.

Transformational leadership can impact a way an administrator leads a school because they would no longer be running a school in the sense that they make decisions and then make sure they are carried out. Instead they would be providing the environment for stakeholders (teachers, parents, community members, etc.) where they feel respected, trusted, and empowered. The result is an environment where people feel connected and are willing to lead and contribute so the school can achieve vision. I think a principal that is a transformational leader would focus less on "red tape" and would focus more on the people.

I think when integrating technology into instruction, if a principal (who is a transformational leader) provides the nurturing environment and the technology then, teachers will feel empowered to try and learn to use it in the classroom. The hardest thing when having new technology in school is getting teachers to use it. However, if they already feel empowered by the principal to make decisions for the school then they will feel comfortable enough to try new technologies and introduce new technologies to others.

References

Cox, Richard. (2007). The Transformational Leadership Report. Retrieved from: http://www.transformationalleadership.net.

Leithwood, Kenneth A., (2007). Transformation school leadership in a transactional
policy world. (pp. 183-196). In Educational Leadership (pp.183-196). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.