Relational Vs Transformational Leadership

The four approaches in understanding leadership have their own advantages in explaining leadership. However, I would say that the relational approach is the most comprehensive way in explaining and understanding leadership. According to Hackman and Johnson (2013), “leadership is “human (symbolic) communication that modifies the attitudes and behaviors of others in order to meet shared group goals” (p. 11). From the definition, we could see that leadership emphasizes on communication, task, and relationship among leaders and followers, and those aspects are well explained in the relational approach which has focus on leader-member relationships, while other approaches have focus on personal characteristics (for traits and contingency approach)

As a result, they foster inspiration and anticipation to put extra labor to achieve common goals” (Zareen, Razzaq, & Mujtaba, 2015, p 535). Transactional leadership does not offer many opportunities to help bring along or promote others, but still has a meaningful place in certain situations. More transformational leadership is needed in my organization, my colleagues and I are seeing more of our leadership, saying many transformational taglines, but their actions are incongruent with their words. “Transformational leaders are not afraid to take personal risks; they emphasize progress, change, and innovation” (Hamstra, et al, 2014, p 644). I am hopeful that what I am learning and my gaining passion to become a more influential leader using transformational leadership techniques. Knowing where my strengths and preferences lie, will allow me show what can be accomplished with mutual respected and shared expectations rather treating people like they are unthinking unfeeling robots. Mixing multiple leadership styles depending on the situation the leader is encountering appears to be the most well rounded option, yet a leader still must have a base preference where they start and return, mine is clearly in the transformational leadership

Transformational leadership comprises four components: inspirational motivation, idealized influence, individualized consideration and intellectual stimulation. The transformational leadership style can create positive outcomes for followers, which is a positive reflection of their leadership style. The transformational leadership style also has its dark side. Schuh, Zhang, & Tian (2013) describes two types of transformational leadership style, the first type of transformational leadership focus on altruistic goals and common good and behavior characterized by high moral and ethical standards. The second type of transformational leadership style is self-centered, focuses on their own status, authority, power, and position at the expense of

Transactional leadership (Tomey, 2009) focuses on management tasks and trade-offs to meet the goals by exchanging rewards for performance, and in maintaining the normal flow of operations (as cited in Marquis & Huston; Ingra, 2016). Transformational leadership is inspirational leadership that promotes employee development, attends to the needs and motives of follower, inspires through optimism, influences changes in perception, provides intellectual stimulation, and encourages follower creativity (Tomey, 2009), that goes beyond managing day-to-day operations (Ingra, 2016). Both leadership styles are needed for an organization to succeed in this modern age, due to diversity of workers and customers we have.

Leaders are often described as being prepared with different approaches, a plan and the desire to direct their teams to accomplish future goals. Both leadership styles are needed for leading a successful organization. Transactional leaders provide different advantages through their capabilities of addressing small effective details quickly (De Oliveira Rodrigues & Ferreira, 2015). Transactional leaders also handle all details that come together to build a strong name, while keeping employees productive at all times (De Oliveira Rodrigues & Ferreira, 2015). Different management styles are best suited for different situations. Transformational leadership inspires leaders to advance each another to higher levels of motivation (Mathew & Gupta, 2015).

Within this thought process, a look into transformational and transactional leadership provides further clarification and understanding. When a business or industry faces a new direction, creativity and vision from a leader provide motivated followers with a leadership style that will promote exponential growth and change. “Transformational leaders can influence followers to change their priorities, set new goals...inspiring them to do their best…(432 ). Conversely when an industry needs needs to stimulate performance transactional leadership would be preferred to transformational leadership. Transactional leadership would stimulate “desired employee behaviors.” (Phillips 433). Transactional leadership provides tangible benefits and rewards to motivate followers to achieve desired outcomes. Transactional and transformational leadership can complement each other according to Phillip and Gulley ( ). Depending on what the desired outcomes are, to include what part of the overall process the project is at, effective leaders can shift from one to the other. It does come to mind that some of the most experienced leaders in our society, parents, are situational experts at combining transformational

Transformational leadership has been presented in the literature as different from transactional leadership. While transactional leadership was defined on the basis of the influence process underlying it, as an exchange of rewards for compliance, transformational leadership was defined on the basis of its effects, as transforming the values and priorities of followers and motivating them to perform beyond their expectations (Yukl, 1998). Bass and Avolio (1994) proposed that the behaviors transformational leaders’ exhibit include four components: individualized consideration, inspirational motivation, idealized influence and intellectual stimulation.

Transformation leadership is the ones that make choices by their abilities to help to improve and bring changes. They also identify the needs and concerns that followers have and help them see old difficult obstacles in a different way that can benefits them. Lastly help to question the status quo too. An example of a Transactional Leadership has to be Bill Gates during 1970’s until modern day, he has ambition intelligence and competitive spirit that helped him reach the top and making him a well know person since he was the inventor of Microsoft. Bill Gates was responsible for Microsoft transforming the industry resulting in him becoming a modern visionary. He envisioned changing the world and indeed his inventions revolutionized modern

Transformational leaders are all about making a change. These leaders are generally viewed as charismatic and inspirational. The characteristics associated with the charismatic factor of a transformational leader are dominance, influential, confidence in oneself, and moral values. Behaviors that stem from those characteristics are being a mentor, excellent communication, and a competent motivator. Combing the characteristics and behaviors behind a transformational leader will bring about employees who are trusting, involved, confident, and compliant (Northouse, 2012). Transformational leaders are best known for testing the abilities of the employees and challenging them to do better. Research has shown that followers of a

Transformational leadership is currently the dominant leadership theory (Barling, 2010, p. 1). Transformational leaders facilitate transformation within an organization. They are driven by a strong set of values and a sense of mission. They are described as expressive, empathetic, extremely charismatic, deeply inspirational, and immensely visionary. In fact, their enthusiasm permeates an organizations culture and inspires and motivates followers to perform at optimal levels.

Transformational leadership has been called one of the most effective among the various theories of leadership (Judge & Bono, 2000). Transformational leaders are able to encourage their teams to reach their full potential by setting challenging expectations which into turn leads to the team achieve higher performances (Bass, 1999). Transformational leaders are also commonly associated with change and change management because they are able to inspire people to overcome their

that transformational leadership behaviors predict effectiveness controlling for transactional leadership, but the reverse is not true" (Judge & Bono, 2000, p. 752). Transformational leadership should be something that is expected within the corporate industry, but mandatory in managing leadership.

The relationship and transformational theories of leadership are aligned with my personal development plan because the Multifactorial Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) test result shown me high score on the leadership characters, which, indicate that I have charismatic and inspirational leadership qualities. Next, test scores suggestive of individualized consideration (role modelling), intellectual stimulation (assumptions & solutions), and contingent (creating opportunity). When I understood the transformational leadership theory, then I realized that, Transformational leadership is a process that modify and transforms people. It concerns with emotions, values, ethics, and long-term goals. Transformational leadership is concerned with

4. Willfulness - striving to impose order and control on an otherwise chaotic and uncontrollable environment is a driving force behind transactional leadership

Transformational leadership is characterized by the ability to implement significant changes. The leader of this type brings a change in the concept of the future development of the organization, its strategy, culture, manufacturing, and applied technologies. Rather than analyze and monitor specific transactions with employees using the rules, guidelines and incentives transformational leader focuses on "non-material matters": perspectives, shared values, new ideas. It seeks to establish cooperation, give meaning to the work of subordinates and to involve them in the change process. Transformational leadership is based on personal values, beliefs, and as a leader, not on the interchange between him and his subordinates.