If you think of a school as a well-manned ship, who is at the helm steering it towards success? While many educational leaders contribute to a school’s progress, the principal serves as the critical role of captain, guiding students and educators toward excellence. How? By creating a supportive environment that fosters high-quality teaching and engaged learning. 

A key approach many principals are adopting to ensure the pursuit of educational excellence is transformational leadership: a dynamic method that emphasizes creating a shared vision that motivates both students and faculty to excel. Join us as we explore the essentials of transformational leadership and uncover four strategies principals use to inspire and motivate everyone on board. 

What Is Transformational Leadership in Education? 

Transformational leadership is a method of guiding a team—consisting of faculty, parents, and students—toward a shared vision for the school. Leaders achieve ‘buy-in’ from these stakeholders by creating an inspiring vision, leading by example, and celebrating individual and collective achievements. 

While instructional leadership was a staple for educational leaders in the 1980s, transformational leadership rose in popularity in the 1990s and has since become a leading method for school improvement. That’s not to say that instructional leadership doesn’t have a role in education. The two approaches share several positive characteristics, such as: 

  • Focusing on improving the quality of education in a school. 
  • Supporting staff in their roles. 
  • Prioritizing student success by creating ideal learning environments. 

Transformational leadership takes these efforts one step further, however, by inspiring and motivating the entire school community to embrace changes in education, which can contribute to long-term success. 

In addition to these commitments, transformational leaders in education also:  

  • Inspire faculty to pursue innovative teaching styles. 
  • Build foundational relationships that are both emotional and intellectual. 
  • Empower others by embracing their abilities to lead and letting go of the need for complete control. 

3 Transformational Leadership Strategies To Implement as an Educational Leader 

Below, we explore four transformational leadership strategies often used by successful educational leaders: 

#1 Build a Collaborative Culture 

Instead of siloing departments, transformational principals and other educational leaders encourage teamwork among all teachers and staff. They establish set times for collaboration and involve all stakeholders in the decision-making process. This approach allows them to share ideas, discuss effective teaching methods, identify areas for improvement, and explore potential interdisciplinary lessons. The result is more cohesive lesson plans and a stronger sense of community. 

#2 Address Individual Needs 

Everyone has different needs, whether they’re students or educators. Transformational leaders ensure that students receive personalized learning plans tailored to their unique needs. For instance, teachers could offer differentiated reading levels for the same text or create learning centers that cater to different learning styles. Both teaching strategies allow students to learn using methods that resonate with their individual preferences. 

From an educator’s perspective, transformational leaders can go beyond simply offering generalized professional development. They encourage teachers to become intellectually stimulated by their continued educational pursuits, inspiring them to try new and innovative methods to improve their students’ learning outcomes. 

#3 Encourage Innovation and Change 

Educational leaders with a transformational mindset are always open to new ideas and promote innovation among their fellow faculty members. Whether implementing new teaching methods, incorporating different forms of technology, providing multiple learning platforms, or completely revamping the curriculum to make it more engaging, they inspire and drive continuous improvement in their schools. 

What Kind of Leader Do You Want To Be? 

Becoming a transformational leader starts with you. If you’re an educator with a vision for the future and a passion for inspiring others to be their best selves, you’re one step closer to becoming a leader in education. 

At The University of Texas Permian Basin, our online ELCC-recognized Master of Arts in Educational Leadership will lead the way toward the next chapter in your career: an administrative role in education. Our 30-credit online program covers all the essential topics relevant to leadership roles in a school setting, taking the guesswork out of selecting courses that may not align with your career path. 

You can also expect the following from our accredited master’s program: 

  • Competitive tuition costs: only $11,729.70 (plus additional fees) for all 30 credit hours. 
  • Scholarships available to new registrants. 
  • Completion in as little as one year for eligible candidates. 
  • Year-round admissions. 

Have any questions for us? Feel free to reach out, and when you’re ready to take the next step and become a leader in education, the application is only a click away. 

Sources: 
https://www.edweek.org/leadership/opinion-transformational-vs-instructional-leadership-which-is-better/2021/10
https://thoughtexchange.com/blog/transformational-leadership-in-education/