Individual Reflection Report on Transformational Leadership - BMA6115

This report is an individual reflection on transformational leadership, primarily within the context of the hospitality industry, specifically referencing Hilton Hotels. The report begins with an introduction to transformational leadership and its importance in adapting to change, followed by a reflection on the author's experience as a leader. It discusses the challenges faced by leaders in the hospitality sector, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, and identifies key leadership skills. The report highlights the importance of charisma, honesty, and vision. It then delves into the concept of transformational leadership, outlining its characteristics such as idealized influence, inspirational motivation, individual consideration, and intellectual stimulation. The report emphasizes how transformational leadership can enhance organizational activities and improve individual performance. It concludes by summarizing the key findings and discussing the skills needed for effective leadership across cultures and countries, drawing on the challenges and opportunities within the hospitality sector.

Individual Refection
Report on
Transformational
Leadership

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
REFLECTION.................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Transformational leadership can be explained as the approach of leaders to adapt according
to the changing situations. In the rapidly developing world it is very important to keep updated
and upgraded with constant changes. There are many leaders throughout the world who have
adopted transformational leadership to adapt according to the changes (Holmes, 2020). This form
of leadership is very important for improving the business activities and it is the responsibility of
leaders to be effective in enhancing their leadership styles, approaches and values so that better
company culture can be created. Hilton hotels and resorts is an international brand that provides
full customer services related to hotels and resorts, it is headquartered in Virginia, US, and was
established in the year 1919. The report will provide a reflection of my experience as a leader for
demonstrating transformational leadership. In this context, it will provide various challenges
faced by the leaders in the hospitality sector. This report will also provide the learning about
various leadership skills that I have identified for becoming an effective leader in a given sector.
In the end it will also provide the requirement of leaders for a particular role and the form of
leadership in cross culture and countries.
REFLECTION
A leader may possess three or four different types of leadership styles to be effective with
their leadership practice. Within the hospitality organisation a person needs to possess charisma,
honesty, visionary, takes control, motivating and many other characteristics for contouring their
business activities. There are many challenges while leading hospitality businesses and a person
requires exclusive abilities to lead effectively in the Hilton hotels. Conrad Hilton was a
transformational leader who has the ability to lead the operations of the business effectively that
is constantly changing. There are many problems that are faced by the hospitality businesses
such as incurring losses, managing people from diverse backgrounds, dealing with changes and
other factors (Agee, 2020).
Covid-19 crisis has affected almost all the industries and sectors throughout the globe. The
hospitality industry has faced the hardest Times during the covid-19 pandemic that has
challenged the leadership abilities of the people. These challenges were related to improving the
safety and health of employees and customers, maintaining cash reserves, managing and
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deteriorating stress of the employees, maintaining good relations with the stakeholders, the
resilience and agility of leaders, operations management, and safe environment. I have
understood that it was the most difficult time for the leaders of Hilton hotels and it has raised the
level of stress among them.
Covid-19 crisis has affected almost all the industries and sectors throughout the globe. The
hospitality industry has faced the hardest Times during the covid-19 pandemic that has
challenged the leadership abilities of the people (Murphy, 2020). These challenges were related
to improving the safety and health of employees and customers, maintaining cash reserves,
managing and deteriorating stress of the employees, maintaining good relations with the
stakeholders, the resilience and agility of leaders, operations management, and safe
environment. I have understood that it was the most difficult time for the leaders of Hilton hotels
and it has raised the level of stress among them.
With the help of research that identifies the experience of hospitality leaders I have obtained
that hospitality leaders including general managers, vice president, directors and CEO of hotels,
resorts, restaurants, good service etc. There are various leadership challenges that include
maintaining a safe working environment for the employees, safety of customers, maintaining
good relationship holders, resilient leadership, dance rating, apathy and agility etc. (Bartsch and
et. al., 2020). Hilton hotels have become less effective in engaging, motivating, and empowering
the employees to maintain their performance during the covid-19 period. There are various
problems related to cultural, economic, social and environmental factors that have affected the
activities of Hilton hotel. With the demographic changes the leadership styles must be identified
in respect to a given situation so that positive interactions among the employees, staff and leaders
can be enhanced (Mahmood, Uddin and Fan 2018).
It is important for every manager to fulfil the requirements of their customers and employees
by identifying best practices that can enhance their performance and productivity. For becoming
an effective and efficient leader I have identified that positive changes must be made for reaching
the goals and objectives of the organisation. I have recognised that a transformational leadership
approach can be very much helpful to become exceptional leaders and by this approach various
strengths and opportunities can be utilised for improving practices of leading according to the
dynamic changes.
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A transformational leadership is an approach that helps to transform or change individuals
according to the changing conditions and requirements within a dynamic situation. Within the
Hilton hotel there are many requirements and changes that are faced by the leaders on a daily
basis and it is very important for the managers to adopt those changes. The transformational
leadership can be helpful to enhance the activities of an organisation and achieve the success of
the organisation in much better ways (Kwan, 2020). I would appreciate the leadership practices
in Hilton because a person needs to be transformational in order to deal with the constant
changes and adapt to the situations. I have identified factors to transformational leadership that
can be helpful to improve the abilities like idealising influence, motivating or inspiration,
individual consideration and intellectual stimulation.
Idealised influence explains the ability of leaders to idealise themselves as role models with
best practices, skills and abilities so that others could try to improve themselves.
Transformational leadership approach is very effective because it does not only enhance the
performance of leaders but it also helps to improve the performance of associates and other
employees. I have identified that within the Hilton hotel the transformational leadership can
provide a wide range of options for becoming an effective leader and improving the performance
of the organisation. The transformational leaders are the main drivers of innovation and also
encourage new ways of harnessing the talent of individuals and team members along with
implementing the new processes of thinking so that the changes can be handled effectively.
Transformational leadership helps to empower others working in a team and helps to
improve their participation for adapting to change (Alrowwad and Abualoush, 2020). There are
many characteristics of transformational leadership that are possessed by an individual and it is
helpful to apply behaviours that can improve the team performance. The leadership traits and
qualities that are possessed by transformational leaders are given below.
Openness to thoughts and ideas is the biggest characteristic of transformational leaders
because they are always ready to innovate whenever the chances arise. I think that these abilities
could be helpful to constantly look upon the opportunities to do new things and have better
creative ideas to improve performance.
Talent for broadening minds can help to shift the perspectives of people towards new ways
by understanding their current mind sets and re-designing their thinking process.
Transformational leaders focus on understanding the requirements of people and the need for
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change and preparing plans for those changes. Active listening is very necessary for
transformational leaders because it helps to understand their colleagues and team members more
easily. In Hilton hotels it is necessary that the leaders should hear ideas of people with open
mindedness and have clear understanding without any judgemental attitude which can be helpful
to improve business operations.
Taking intelligent risk is another quality of transformational leaders because
transformational leaders identify the risks involved in their decisions (Kim and Park, 2020). By
doing so transformational leaders could develop better ideas to handle those risks and achieve
success. Willingness to accept responsibility is very necessary for transformational leaders
because I think the leaders who take responsibility for their actions are much more favoured by
their team members and colleagues.
Trusting the members and colleagues is another crucial characteristic of a transformational
leader that inspires their team members to perform more effectively and efficiently. These
characteristics can be helpful in improving the leadership abilities of an individual and I think
these abilities of transformational leadership could be helpful to transform an individual in global
leader. These abilities, skills and qualities of a transformational leader can help to improve the
abilities of leaders in crossing cultures or countries.
CONCLUSION
It has been obtained from the above report that transformational leadership is very much
helpful to enhance the abilities of an individual to adapt changes easily. Moreover, it has been
discussed that many challenges within the hospitality industry are faced by the leaders such as,
constantly changing customer demand, managing safety and health, employee and customer
satisfaction, managing funds, employee engagement and motivation etc. There are many
challenges that are faced by the leaders in the hospitality business on a daily basis and it is
necessary to develop certain qualities that can help them to tackle those problems. In this context,
it has been identified that various changes in the leadership and the qualities of transformational
leadership can be adopted to improve motivation, influence, idealisation and communication
with the team. Furthermore, it has been explaining skills and abilities that must be possessed by
an individual to become a transformational leader. Finally the report has discussed the skills that
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must be acquired by an individual to become an influential leader in crossing cultures and
countries.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Agee, N.H., 2020. Leadership in disruptive times: The key to changing healthcare. Frontiers of
Health Services Management, 36(3), pp.3-11.
Alrowwad, A. A. and Abualoush, S. H., 2020. Innovation and intellectual capital as intermediary
variables among transformational leadership, transactional leadership, and organizational
performance. Journal of Management Development.
Bartsch, S. and et. al., 2020. Leadership matters in crisis-induced digital transformation: how to
lead service employees effectively during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Service
Management.
Holmes, G., 2020. From the archives: Effective leadership in changing times. Australian
Educational Leader, 42(3), pp.66-68.
Kim, E.J. and Park, S., 2020. Transformational leadership, knowledge sharing, organizational
climate and learning: an empirical study. Leadership & organization development
journal.
Kwan, P., 2020. Is transformational leadership theory passé? Revisiting the integrative effect of
instructional leadership and transformational leadership on student
outcomes. Educational Administration Quarterly, 56(2), pp.321-349.
Mahmood, M., Uddin, M.A. and Fan, L., 2018. The influence of transformational leadership on
employees’ creative process engagement: A multi-level analysis. Management Decision.
Murphy, G.P., 2020. Enlightened Leadership in a Changing, Troubled World. Servant-
Leadership and Forgiveness: How Leaders Help Heal the Heart of the World, p.61.
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