This is part of an ongoing series on Transformational Leadership.

A few weeks ago, I wrote a column for Business Record where I reached out to five top local leaders for their thoughts on Transformational Leadership. I was pleasantly surprised by the significant level of response this column generated from readers. So many leaders reached out to me to share their own stories and opinions on what it means to be a truly Transformational Leader that I decided that one column was not enough; a series was in order.

In that initial column, one of the leaders I turned to was Ray Cole, retired president and COO of Citadel Communications LLC and author of the book “Hangin’ with Winners.” In true news leader fashion, Cole replied to my request with a multipage list of thoughts on Transformational Leadership; so, of course, the first thing I did was to reach out to Cole for a longer interview on the topic.

Cole is a proven Transformational Leader himself. Over the course of his remarkable career in broadcasting, he bought, sold and operated numerous enterprises across Iowa and the nation. Cole also held leadership roles in the broadcasting industry, including serving on the board of governors and chairman of the ABC Network, as well as on countless corporate and nonprofit boards. He was inducted into the prestigious Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame in 2023 and the Iowa Business Hall of Fame in 2024. 

As notable as Cole’s business success is the positive impact he has had on those he has come across in his career. ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer was quoted about him, saying: “I first met Ray Cole at a board of governors meeting long ago and I felt exactly what the world does on meeting him, which is, ‘Have I known you forever? Because it feels as if your warmth and your high wattage should have been in my life.’ There is such enthusiasm, though I think it is too ordinary a word for what he has, that’s a powerful combination of curiosity and eagerness to learn and absolute conviction that if we do it together the world can be a better place.”

That enthusiasm and curiosity was evident from Cole’s early years growing up in Kingsley, a small town in northwest Iowa. He developed his leadership ability through high school sports and activities; these skills helped him advance from his start as an intern at KCAU-TV in Sioux City to eventually becoming a broadcasting industry leader.

Cole worked for over 40 years with his partner, Phil Lombardo, who he says was one of the first transformational leaders in his life. “Lombardo had an ‘old-school’ style of leadership, not touchy-feely, but boy, did I learn a lot from him,” says Cole. A tough-minded, savvy entrepreneur, Lombardo showed him how to operate businesses using data and systematic processes and how to be decisive in dealmaking. “But most of all, his style was his own,” recalled Cole. “I learned from him it was OK to be yourself and not to conform to some set idea of a leader.”

During his career, Cole had the opportunity to work closely with numerous leaders from the worlds of business, television, sports, entertainment and politics. He further developed insights into “winning” traits, qualities and attributes of successful leaders by interviewing the individuals profiled in “Hangin’ with Winners.” In his book, Cole profiled nationally recognized leaders like Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Co., broadcasting icons Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters, television host and political adviser George Stephanopoulos, and Iowa leaders like businessman Bill Knapp, former ambassador and Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and former Iowa Gov. Bob Ray. His access to these leaders illustrates that over the years the first-row seat Cole had in observing Transformational Leaders in action. 

In the initial column, I posed the question, “What makes a leader truly transformational, and why is that especially important in today’s business climate?” Cole’s answer in that original article centered on leaders who take a “we, us, them” approach to teamwork versus an “I, me, my” approach. He said, “Exceptional Transformational Leaders become role models for their team members whereby they are inspired to reach above and beyond what they might otherwise consider possible.”

In our subsequent conversation, Cole offered several other factors involved in Transformational Leadership:

• “The Process:” Many business leaders and coaches are convinced that true team success is, in fact, the direct result of “The Process.” Cole says, “While a process is usually defined as an ordered series of actions leading to a result, practitioners of “The Process” believe that a culture embracing a commitment to preparing in the right way makes all the difference. These leaders focus on the methodical preparation necessary to reach a goal, and not the result itself. He points to ISU athletics director Jamie Pollard, who told him: “It’s easy to get motivated by trying to have an outstanding outcome, but too often the outcome gets really shallow. It’s working towards the outcome where the reward really is.” 
• Doing what’s difficult: In Cole’s book, several leaders pointed out that sometimes individuals have to do what’s awkward or difficult for them in order to achieve desired team outcomes. Cole says, “Transformational leaders fully understand this. They engage their team members to heighten their awareness and value of the organization’s goals, while encouraging behavior that transcends their self-interests.” He points out that Transformational Leadership inspires others to do things that are inconvenient or even uncomfortable in the moment but which ultimately benefit the entire team. 
• Surrounding yourself with good – and smart – people. Cole noted that transformational leaders make it a priority to surround themselves with the “right” people. He mentioned Disney’s Bob Iger, who said, “When hiring, try to surround yourself with people who are ‘good’ in addition to being good at what they do.” Cole emphasized that building the right team is critical, saying: “Collaborate with diverse and interesting colleagues, people you can trust – especially ones you can trust to challenge you and not tell you what you want to hear – and strong mentors and tough adversaries.” 
• Remaining curious: Cole said that curiosity is a characteristic that “winners” recognize as critical to their success. Transformational Leaders also know how this trait can help form new relationships, lead to the development of different perceptions and ideas, and serve as the basis to challenge outdated assumptions. He notes, “Most Transformational Leaders that I know and have been around have a growth mindset where no matter their age or the point they are at in their career, they are constantly trying to figure out how to get better.” He says these individuals not only continue to grow emotionally, intellectually and spiritually, but push their teams or followers to do so as well. 
• Bringing your “A” Game: When it comes to commitment, Cole quoted Emmy-winning sportscaster Kevin Negandhi, who told told him, “It’s always fun when you work with someone who’s elevating their game, because you know that you’re also being elevated simply by working with them and knowing you’d better be bringing your ‘A’ game every single day!”
  Cole says that true transformational leaders share a certain level of anxiety about never being satisfied and knowing they can’t get too comfortable. “You have to maintain a certain amount of feeling like, ‘I’m doing this for the first time,’” he said. “Transformational Leaders find a way to get comfortable … but never too comfortable or complacent.
• Accepting failure and embracing adversity: Cole noted that one of the more interesting qualities of Transformational Leaders is their ability to accept failure as part of the management process. They recognize the fact that along with innovation comes the need to grant followers permission to fail.
  

Cole observed that transformational leaders embrace whatever headwinds and challenges the organization must confront. “Moreover, they understand that failure is a part of winning … a really big part,” he pointed out. “They convey to team members that it’s OK to make a mistake, so long as it’s an honest mistake. They will even suggest that if you’re not occasionally failing then you’re not swinging for the fences in ways critical to long-term success.” 

I asked Cole if he could go back in time, would he do anything differently in terms of his leadership style. He was thoughtful in his answer. “I think I would have done more from the “bottom up,” rather than “top down,” he said, “I would have focused more – even in busy times – about transparency, communication and collaboration. About how to really ensure that everyone in the organization knows they are important.” 

  Most people who come across Cole mention his ability to do just that – make everyone feel important. Scott Raecker, executive director of the Robert D. and Billie Ray Center at Drake University, was quoted about Cole: “When I think of Ray Cole, I think servant-leader and relationships are the two (main things) … Not everybody is going to be as blessed and fortunate as Ray to travel in the high-profile circles of high-end media connectivity, but whatever your station in life, if you can serve others and build great relationships in doing that, you will have such an impact. He demonstrates character in everything he does.” 

In the end, that is true Transformational Leadership.