On 9th October 2024, we lost a great leader. Television, Social Media, etc. were flooded with the news of Ratan Tata. People who had worked with him mentioned him in their tweets and articles. People who had not worked with him, but chanced to meet him remembered those precious moments. People who had no connection whatsoever to him were also pensive & wrote about him – just because they had only read or heard about him as a leader and a person, and the culture he had fostered at the Tata Group. Such was the persona of this man, someone who had not just built a multi-million dollar conglomerate, but also embodied the essence of ‘transformational leadership’. 

A transformational leader creates an indelible impression on one’s mind, especially on those who are part of their team. This is because of the compelling vision which they create and the style in which they foresee the execution of this vision. As leaders, they may have charming personalities and some may also have the gab. But what really makes them stand apart is their ability to connect and inspire others to achieve much more than what they initially signed up for. That’s why people want to work all the more with them, sometimes even after having simply heard about such leaders. 

What are these leaders made up of? How do they weave this magic? 

It’s true that some traits possessed by a transformational leader may just be present because of the personality of the individual. But just knowing that one has these traits may not work – the best leaders hone them and work on them so that they come of use when the organization needs them the most. 

The key part of Transformational leadership is a component we all know as ‘Emotional Intelligence’, which actually helps the leader motivate others by connecting with them on a deep, emotional level. Being emotionally intelligent is a way of life for these leaders. 

What aspects of emotional intelligence do the leaders possess? 

• Inspiring Communication – Articulating a compelling vision requires communication which is not only structured but also inspiring. The leader is able to create a vision and bring other leaders and managers together to elucidate it further and act upon it. The key part is where the leader is able to connect with each person and motivate them to see beyond what others normally can, and also enter uncharted territories. To do this, the leader can adapt to each person’s motivational needs. 
• Relationship Building – Transformational leaders are highly empathetic of others’ feelings; this enables them to understand the needs of their stakeholders and of their team members. This in turn helps in making the process of establishing rapport and connecting very easy, even with junior team members. Transformational leaders use simple terms when they talk, and show genuine care in dialogue with the employees. In this way, they are able to build multigenerational relationships. Here I am reminded of one of my earlier skip-level managers, who would really go out of the way to ensure that he connected with every person within the team, especially those at early-career stages. He also gave them different projects and responsibilities other than regular work, which helped them learn newer things. What I remember was the natural and easy-going style he had, in which he explained the impact of such projects & hence created curiosity in the team members’ minds.  
• Role-modelling the right behaviours – Leaders join hands to create the vision and values for the organization. Transformational leaders go one step further in ‘living’ these values and bringing them to life for their teams. They role model values like ethical behaviour, respect and trust. While this may not exactly correlate to the umbrella of emotional intelligence, leaders are able to help the employees in value alignment, which in turn keeps the employees motivated to perform with respect to the goals of the organization. A very good example is Satya Nadella, who truly role models the aspect of ‘Growth Mindset’ – a philosophy which he encourages at Microsoft & which helped turn around the organization over the last decade. 
• Resilience – Transformational leaders know that their vision brings not-so-easy paths, and when they get leaders together, they are mindful of turbulences due to both internal as well as external environmental challenges. But they are highly resilient, manage stress, regulate their emotions and handle conflict tactfully. They are hence able to maintain a positive environment in which their teams can adapt to such changes and deliver effectively. 
• Self-awareness – Perhaps I kept this one last because this is the most crucial. Being highly self-aware helps the leader embody authenticity. They understand their own emotions and how they affect others, and this in a way helps them perform all the above aspects to the best of their abilities. They are also open to feedback, reflect on their experiences, learn new skills, and pursue their passions. All this builds further on to their strengths as being a self-aware leader.  

The positive correlation between Emotional Intelligence and Transformational Leadership is hence a potent combination, and it helps the leader foster connection, growth and positive outcomes for the organization. Through this, transformational Leaders are able to walk that extra mile, influence others to collaborate and impact results.