The Transformational Leader

26The True Price of Transformational Leadership

Leaders sacrifice themselves for the good of others.

—Patrick Lencioni

THE COST OF transformational and outstanding leadership is sacrifice, as selfless service differentiates great leaders from everyone else. Nothing of value comes easy; we must remember this and apply it to all aspects of life. While improving our performance is great, bringing out the best in others and forming a high-performing team is even better. But how can we scale the commitments, standards, and impact of stellar leadership?

When asked to imagine a transformational leader, most people picture someone influential and charismatic. That's because people automatically associate leadership with superiority and prestige. Those who've earned the reputation of being exceptional leaders are shaking their heads right now; what do they know that we don't? They know that impact-driven leadership isn't defined by accolades and praise but by service and sacrifice. These are the cornerstones of transformational leadership, yet they are topics rarely discussed and responsibilities infrequently accepted.

The concept of sacrifice is akin to eating a diet of healthy foods. We know it's good for us and has potential benefits, but we often give in to the temptation of the less healthy option. At that moment, we do not consider how our choices will affect us 5, 10, or even 20 years later. That's because what we want more than anything is that momentary comfort, which is ...