Transformational Leadership through Zoom

I was able to leverage social media to get an internship with my boss who runs his own firm that helps individuals invest their money as well as works to help low-income folks gain financial literacy. Coming from a liberal arts background, I really had no idea how my skillset would benefit a person with a wide knowledge in finance and business. I was really surprised that my boss and the small team that I worked on actually felt that there was something practical to gain from my experience organizing and connecting with people. This experience made me want to work harder for my boss because I felt that he actually cared about what I was bringing to the table. Originally, of course I just wanted to do a good enough job to fulfill my requirements, but I also found myself brainstorming on my free time about the conversations that we would have about equity and justice. Going into work everyday we would check in with how we were all doing and address the protests that we were witnessing and the speeches I was writing for the rallies I was going to. Seeing that they cared about what I cared about made me want to work harder when it came to the tasks that he asked me to do, because it showed that there was a mutual respect even though he is a successful entrepreneur and I am just a student.

This type of leadership where a follower feels admiration, loyalty, respect and a willingness to work harder is indicative that transformational leadership is at play. This type of leadership was the best formatted to work for the conditions that we were in because we did not have a lot of background familiarity with each other before we interacted on LinkedIn. Having a boss that is relatable, and has a respect for what you bring to the table is a sure fire way to get more out of the people that you are employing. Transformational leadership to me means changing preconceived notions for the better by showing actions that reflect care.