One of the best blogs on transformational change is written by Bob Tipton, who is part of the Thought Leader Zone partner network. His recent follow-up post, based on an earlier blog on the difference between transformational and transactional leaders, outlines “5 Essential Behaviors of Transformational Change Leaders.” He says that transformational leaders:

• Act courageously
• Are authentically optimistic
• Collaborate through empathy
• Operate from principles, not polls
• Radiate a passion for purpose

For each of these descriptions, he contrasts the actions of transformational leaders with those of transactional leaders. He then makes the case clearly for building your transformational leadership skills so that these behaviors will come more naturally to you over time.

Are you what Bob Tipton calls a ‘transformational leader’ or do you get caught up in being too transactional? Ask, assess, then act.