Transformative Leadership in Social Work

Transformative leadership has become one of the most popular leadership styles, particularly in the world of social work. Social workers who strive to become transformative leaders need to embrace new lines of thinking. Those changes can have far-reaching impacts, from more motivated team members to better empathy for those they serve and support.

Transformative leadership is an attainable goal that can be built upon the foundation of essential education for social workers. A doctorate in social work is a solid choice for those in the field who want to become transformative leaders. With the right courses, a social worker can gain the knowledge and skills they need to be a truly transformative leader.

What Is Transformative Leadership? 

Leadership expert and presidential biographer James MacGregor Burns first introduced transformative leadership, also known as transformational leadership, in 1978. Burns originally applied this phrase to political leaders, but it has been adopted into many different types of management, including nonprofit management. Burns claimed that transformational or transformative leadership is a form of leadership in which “leaders and followers help each other to advance to a higher level of morale and motivation.”

Researcher Bernard M. Bass later expounded upon this type of leadership, which is now referred to as Bass’s Transformational Leadership Theory. Under this theory, Bass claimed that a transformational or transformative leader is defined by their impact upon their followers. A transformative leader must be trusted, respected, and admired to be a true transformative leader.

What Is Transformative Leadership in Social Work?               

Social workers thrive in complex environments with unique demands. Consider the needs of a social worker in a nonprofit leadership role. They work in environments that are often affected by various circumstances, like fluctuating budgets and resources as well as a changing political atmosphere. They must often evaluate policies to address difficult topics like food insecurity.

While social workers need to have leadership styles that are organized and goal-oriented, it’s just as crucial for leaders to support the morale of their team members. 

Transformative leaders care about the wellbeing of their team members, their organization as a whole, and the community they serve. They encourage thinking in innovative ways, which is especially important as their workplaces can have a variety of challenges. 

How to Become a Transformative Leader 

Transformative leadership is built upon four essential pillars, and transformative leaders must hone specific skills and traits to become the leaders they want to be. 

Pillars of Transformative Leadership               

There are four key components of transformative leadership, including:

• Individualized consideration: A transformative leader thinks of their team as a collection of people who they can mentor individually. They foster personal relationships with team members, keep open lines of communication, and recognize and celebrate the contributions of each person.
• Intellectual stimulation: Transformative leaders explore new ways of thinking and challenge team members to embrace opportunities to learn.
• Inspirational motivation: Transformative leaders set clear, realistic goals and are optimistic about reaching these objectives. They have a sense of purpose and try to inspire others.
• Idealized influence: Transformative leaders are role models, demonstrating pride in their work, offering respect for others, and instilling trust in their followers.

Traits of a Transformative Leader               

Traits that make a good transformative leader include:

• Active listening: Transformative leaders listen to their team members and make them feel heard and supported.
• Collaboration: Transformative leaders think of themselves as part of the team and are excited about working together.
• Responsibility: While transformative leaders are team players, they also recognize their position as a leader and take responsibility for successes and challenges.
• Communication: These types of leaders need to be able to convey their goals clearly and foster open lines of communication among team members.
• Creativity: Transformative leaders think outside the box and embrace new lines of thinking.
• Emotional intelligence: Transformative leaders understand their positions as role models and mentors, and know that they need to demonstrate empathy, understanding, and respect to support their team members.
• Problem-solving: These types of leaders embrace problems and look at them as challenges to solve.

Why Is Transformative Leadership Beneficial? 

Transformational or transformative leadership has been shown to increase positive relationships in teams while also decreasing staff burnout. This leadership style also results in increased inclusivity in hiring, job performance, motivation, creative problem-solving, and exploratory thinking. It also increases empathy and sensitivity toward clients, which is crucial for social workers. 

Workplaces with transformative leaders typically are less stressful and have better and stronger team building. Companies with transformational leaders also usually see less turnover as employees are more motivated and feel more loyalty to their team, their leader, and their organization as a whole.

Transformative Leadership Challenges               

Transformative leadership can be challenging to implement, though true transformative leaders see such a challenge as an opportunity to grow. Transformative leadership requires creating personal relationships with each team member, which can be difficult if the leader has a large team. This leadership style also encourages communication, and that can be overwhelming if many team members are trying to communicate with them at once.

Transformative leaders also take into account the perspective of their team members before making decisions that may impact them and the organization as a whole. This process may slow down decision-making. However, these challenges can be mitigated, and the pros of transformative leadership greatly outweigh the cons.

Training to Become a Transformative Leader 

Social workers often find themselves in complex environments. They face unique challenges and have to find ways to adapt. Transformative leaders look at these complexities as puzzles to solve, and they instill this mindset in their team, creating an environment of optimism and creative thinking. Transformative leadership creates more motivated team members and a collaborative, communicative atmosphere.

To become a transformative leader, you must first develop your skills in both social work and leadership. Tulane University’s Online Doctorate in Social Work provides students with the knowledge and resources they need to thrive as social workers, but it also places them on a pathway to leadership. 

Students prepare for executive-level positions as they learn from faculty and peers who have done real-world work in the fields they wish to enter. Find out how you can pursue a doctorate in social work at Tulane School of Social Work and advance your career.