A Transformational Leader

Our spotlight on Jim Goodnight continues as we discuss another facet of his management style. Based on his words and actions, I believe Mr. Goodnight has elevated himself to a distinct category of management. He has become a transformational leader. Jim has gone from merely compensating his employees to lavishly rewarding them. He has moved beyond simply encouraging employees to empowering them. In essence, he is helping his employees satisfy their upper level needs. He has addressed the employees' physiological needs by paying them competitive strategies. Safety needs have been met through the various helthcare programs. Social needs are met every day by the wide variety of perks that offer employees a chance to socialize at work.

Esteem needs are even taken care of when Goodnight endlessly praises his workers during interviews and during his personal interactions with employees. Jim Goodnight has even started to address the self-actualization needs of his employees. Every designer has her/his own office. This distinction answers esteem issues, but also contributes to self-actualization. This privacy offers the employee freedom and provides the environment that will be most productive for each individual. Educational programs and tuition reimbursements satisfy needs for growth. When Goodnight tackles Maslow's hierarchy of needs in such an aggressive manner, it is no wonder why employees genuinely love working at SAS.

A transformational leader is marked by four main characteristcs. They posses charisma, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration. While Jim may not be the most entertaining or enthralling speaker, he commands attention from his employees and they are more than happy to surrender it. His employees are confident in their leader's abilities and vision for the future. After hearing hi speak in iterviews or during Q&A forums held at SAS, the employees are committed to Jim, just as he is committed to them. Jim displays inspirational motivation primarily when he speaks about his vision. He has always talked about creating a software development company that is distinguishable from the others in the indutry. He sees opportunities where other managers have abandoned efforts and makes a convincing argument to act upon the unknown.

Intellectual stimulation is easily the behavioral characteristic that Mr. Goodnight most clearly displays. He has challenged the status quo of the entire industry and the general business model of profit. He has payed large sums of money to his employees through salaries and benefits. He has offered unrivaled perk packages and miraculously remains profitable. He provides the ultimate environment that contributes directly to employee creativity and morale. Employees are empowered and choose to work harder because they love going to work. They are challenged by the work and embrace the task with enthusiasm. 

The last piece of the puzzle is individualized compensation. Jim cares about each of his employees and does not view them as numbers on a payroll. He provides more than adequate rewards for those who work hard. The following quote was pulled from an interview with him:
 
As you can see, Jim Goodnight is no longer a manager; he is a leader. He has become a transformational leader not only because of what he has accomplished, but also becuase of the way he behaves. Mr. Goodnight has successfully aligned the agendas and goals of his employees with those of the company and they are truly committed to him. He has achieved great success without impairing any shareholders in the process. He manages to do all of these things while motivating and encouraging his workforce. This truly is an exceptional leader who leads by example.

Regards,
Jarek Palmer
Big Bang Bloggers (BBB)
"Innovation is the key to success in this business, and creativity fuels innovation," Goodnight said. "Creativity is especially important to SAS because software is a product of the mind. As such, 95 percent of my assets drive out the gate every evening. It's my job to maintain a work environment that keeps those people coming back every morning. The creativity they bring to SAS is a competitive advantage for us."