Transformational Nursing Leadership

By Rose O. Sherman, EdD, RN, FAAN

“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” John Maxwell

Recently, I was in an audience where a nurse leader described herself as ” a transformational leader”. She did not say that she worked hard to be a transformational leader but rather with a great deal of certainty, she declared herself to be one. This was interesting to me because I know from my work that whether you are or are not a transformational leader is a question that can only be answered by those who follow you. The leader did not present any research to indicate that her staff had been surveyed about her leadership style. Without evidence, declaring oneself to be transformational is a personal opinion that may or may not be verified by those who work for the leader. Fortunately, there are good questions that you can ask yourself to be sure that you are on the right track.

What is Transformational Leadership?

Transformational leadership theory was first introduced in 1978 by James McGregor Burns. He described it as leadership that occurs when the leader engages with followers in a way that raises their level of performance and motivation. Those influenced by transformational leaders find meaning and value in their work, are able to make significant contributions to their organizations and are more likely to become leaders themselves. There are four key attributes of transformational nurse leaders:

1. The leader serves as a role model and “walks the talks”.

2. They inspire motivation in their followers by having a strong vision about their work.

3. They are concerned about the individual and demonstrate genuine concern for their needs and feelings.

4. The leader challenges and develops the followers to be innovative and creative nurturing independent thinking.

Are You a Transformational Nurse Leader?

Nursing research findings indicate that nurse leaders who use transformational leadership principles create environments that promote higher levels of job satisfaction, well-being and organizational commitment. Wong & Cummings (2009) also found in their work that there were significant associations between transformational leadership practices, increased patient satisfaction and reduced adverse events.

Developing transformational leadership skills requires that nurse leaders be honest and reflective about their current practices. Dr. Ronald Riggio, an expert in leadership development, advises leaders to ask themselves the following key questions to determine whether they demonstrate transformational leader qualities: (Agree or Disagree)

1. I would never require a follower to do something that I would not do myself.

2. My followers would say they know what I stand for.

3. Inspiring others has always come easy to me.

4. My followers would say that I am attentive to their needs and concerns.

5. My followers have told me that my enthusiasm and positive energy is infectious.

6. Even though I could easily do a task myself, I delegate it to expand my follower’s skills.

7. Team creativity and innovation are the keys to success.

8. I encourage my followers to question their most basic way of thinking.

You probably were not able to answer yes to each of the above questions. Leadership is a journey of self-development. It is important to turn your areas of weakness around using these statements in situations to ask yourself for example – am I being attentive to the needs and concerns of my team members? An even stronger test would be to ask members of your team how they would rate you on each of the eight statements. –

Read to Lead

Burns, J.M. (1978). Leadership. Harper & Row Publishers.

Riggio, R. (2009). Are You a Transformational Leader?

Wong, C.A. & Cummings, G.G. (2009). The relationship between nursing leadership and patient outcomes: A systematic review. Journal of Nursing Management. 15, 508-521.