Dear growth seeker,

Thank you for choosing to invest your time in reading this article about the importance of transformative leadership and growing the most precious asset you will ever possess – You.

So many of you have messaged me here on my website, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and on WhatsUp to ask me to share some insights on the recent most spoken two topics that affect every human being – Will Smith’s violent response after the comedian Chris Rock made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith which not only shocked the live audience at the Oscars but also sparked media attention around the world and the invasion of Ukraine. So I decided to write this article and share my thoughts in a way that can start the so needed leadership conversations not only in every business and organisation but also in governments around the world.

Both incidents mentioned above are great examples of the destructive power of our inability to control ourselves when emotions, biases, and judgment get the best of us. Perhaps it is time to shape the narratives around the kind of distraction we as human beings and what Authoritarian and Transactional Leadership are capable of. But it is also a great example of how the same distraction can create a rippling effect of uniting leaders to step up and focus on the safety, growth and protection of their people and the very same foundation upon which democracy is built.

The Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelensky, a former actor and comedian who became the sixth and incumbent president of Ukraine, is an excellent example of the traits of Transformational Leadership. He rose to the challenges he as an individual faced when the war in Ukraine started, but he also managed to mobilise his people to fight one of the strongest armies in the world and managed to galvanise the EU and NATO leaders to step up their game.

The truth is…

Transformational leaders are focused on the safety, wellbeing, growth and development of their people. They set clear expectations, honour commitments, and keep their employees accountable to goals. Transformational leadership has been shown to result in higher morale, decreased turnover, greater motivation (both for the leader and for team members), more innovation and creativity, increased productivity, better communication between employees and management, improved performance in high-stress situations (such as emergencies), increased trust among employees and higher earnings for the company as a whole.

As an employee or a manager, you’re already great at hitting your deadlines, completing projects on time and under budget, and maintaining positive relationships with your direct reports. But when there’s a big, hairy project that needs to be completed—like launching a new product or implementing an organisational change—that’s where you fall short. You feel like you’re spinning your wheels trying to rally the troops. You don’t know what steps to take to get out of this rut and gain traction.

One of the main benefits to use coaching, training, and development as an empowering tool to activate leadership in everyone in your organisation is this:

Transformational Leaders Are Excellent at Asking Quality Questions and at Listening.

They ask questions to understand how people feel about a situation. They ask questions to help people get to the root of a complex problem. They ask questions to help people find solutions. They ask questions that help people move forward in life, whether it is by identifying their blind spots or providing direction and inspiration for a new way forward.

What better way to transform your people than by asking questions that will help them think outside the box, consider new perspectives and improve their performance, decision-making and communication?

For instance, in The Unfakeable Code®, I share more about what questions could you ask your people to help them rethink their approach to a provocation or a project? What questions could you ask them to encourage them to take off the mask and be open to exploring new ideas or looking at things differently? What questions could you ask that would help them make more effective decisions? Or communicate more effectively with customers or colleagues?

Another reason to promote authentic leadership in your organisation is this:

Transformational Leaders Are Excellent at Empowering Others.

Empowerment is a simple concept to understand. It means giving people the freedom to make decisions and act on them. Empowerment is essential in an organisation since the manager won’t always be there to guide others, so they need to be empowered to make their own decisions.

Over the years, I have had the pleasure to coach and mentor businesses from all market sectors and leaders of some of the fortune 500 companies to create a culture where empowerment thrives by building trust within the board,  teams, and every employee in the organisation. As we worked together on achieving their objectives, every client has realised how trust and empowerment go hand in hand; if you don’t trust someone, you’re unlikely to empower them with decision-making authority.

In our professional careers, we all come across transactional leaders and managers. They are perceived as inauthentic, dull, and unworthy of our trust because of how they act, behave, and treat the people they manage. Such leaders don’t get many opportunities to practice being exciting and original, so they stay disempowered.

With enough encouragement, coaching, and training, anyone can be anything. So why not invest in activating leadership across your entire organisation?

Transformational Leaders Inspire Vision and Purpose.

You may have heard the old saying, “dance like no one is watching.” Maybe you’ve said it yourself. Dancing like no one is watching has become a cliché for letting go, but what if it were more than just a feel-good adage?

What if dancing like no one was watching was the first step toward achieving something you want – dancing on Broadway, winning an Olympic medal, or just shedding a few pounds and feeling better about yourself?

Most people are afraid to take that first step because they’re worried about what other people will think. But we believe there’s a real opportunity to achieve your goals if you ignore everyone else and focus on what you want.

Transformational Leaders Encourage Innovation.

Good leaders are open-minded, and this openness is a crucial part of what makes them suitable. They’re willing to consider new ideas and ways, encouraging others to do the same. This makes it easier for their employees to think creatively, which can help the team address challenges or identify new opportunities.

Transformational Leaders Set Challenging Goals.

Transformational leaders set challenging goals and can mobilise people to achieve them. Volodymyr Zelensky, NATO and the EU are great examples of this. They also create a sense of urgency, setting deadlines and milestones to keep things on track. Finally, they empower followers by giving them the freedom to achieve the end in their way.

This doesn’t mean that you can say: “I have a great idea! We should build an Android Artificial Intelligence Powered phone!” Then hand the team a blank canvas, walk away and expect results. Setting challenging goals is essential but not enough; these leaders also ensure that followers understand their role in achieving the outcome and providing the necessary resources. Both NATO and the EU are giving Ukraine many resources to help them fight back Russia Invasion. And finally, they make sure team members have sufficient time for reflection to plan their next steps appropriately (rather than jumping from crisis to crisis).

Transformational Leadership Assist in Creating Effective, Efficient and Energised Managers and Employees.

In one of the companies, I was hired to assist them in addressing low productivity, poor performance, and high turnover staff issues. I observed how many did not like working for the company because they felt not listened to, not necessary, and did not want to face colleagues used to moaning, criticising, and bringing other people down. Their leaders were not listening to what everyone in the company felt, which many found to be demoralising and destructive.

What I did as their coaching partner was to clarify the behaviours that fuel transactional leadership and management and use it to:

  • Motivate and inspire staff to achieve their full potential
  • Build loyalty and trust
  • Create a positive and supportive environment
  • Encourage teamwork, innovation and collaboration
  • Set challenging and values-driven goals
  • Improve employee’s mental health, performance and wellbeing
  • Grow their reputation, productivity and profits

I love travelling the world and assisting others in creating transformational results. One thing that inspired me throughout my life to keep learning, growing, and sharing my gifts for the benefit of others is what my father, a successful restaurateur told me as I was growing up:

“My son, if you want your business to grow, then assist others to grow by leading by example.”

You’ve just read about the transformative leadership possible for you and your organisation. Now it’s time to take the next step and get started on your path to being a transformative leader and activating leadership across your entire business.

Get in touch with me today! As your coaching partner, it will be an honour to work on addressing the issues that cause you headaches, pain, and frustrations and get you the clarity, the tools, and the plan that begins to grow you and your employees into the best transformational leader possible. You’ll learn practical ways and skills that will help you to inspire your employees and elevate them above their peers at competing companies while also inspiring yourself as a leader.

There’s no reason your organisation can’t become the market leader, and I love sharing how to get the results and where you want to be by becoming a transformative leader.

Love and Wisdom

Tony J. Selimi – Award-Winning Author, Speaker, and Transformational Live and Business Coach Specialising in Human Behaviour, Leadership Excellence, and Maximising Human Potential. Winner of the London SME Most Visionary Entrepreneur 2020 award, Corporate Coaching and Recruitment Business Coach of the Year 2021 Award, Silver Winner of Literary Book Award 2021, and Maincreast Media Book Award 2021 for A Path to Wisdom, #Loneliness, and The Unfakeable Code®.

PS – I work on a virtual basis and in-person with clients all over the globe, facilitating the realisation and accomplishment of personal, professional, and business goals. Here are four ways I can assist you in creating life-changing breakthroughs, growth, and accelerating your journey to excellent health, influence, transformational leadership and success.

#1… Book a Breakthrough Consultation Session by sending an email to info@tonyselimi.com

#2 … Grab your copy of my #1 Amazon bestselling and Multi-Award-Winning books, A Path to Wisdom, #Loneliness, The Unfakeable Code®, and enrol in my Mindfulness for Higher Productivity, Performance, and Profitable Life Udemy Course! Click here to join thousands of my happy students.

#3 … Make the fastest progress by hiring me to work with you on your business and train your teams. Just reply to this message and put “private” in the subject line. Let me know a little about you or your business and what you’d like to work on together, and I’ll get you the quote, invoice, and the necessary booking details.

#4 … Hire me as a speaker to educate, inspire and transform your audience at your next company or industry event. Click HERE to download my speaker sheet and fill in the form with your event info, and once I hear from you, I’ll send you the contract and fee info back.