Transformational Leadership Style
Tanya Schankel
ORG300 – Applying Leadership Principles
Colorado State University – Global Campus
Dr. Anne O 'Bryan
June 21, 2015 Transformational Leadership Style
Are you ready for a change? Transformational leaders pave the way for implementing change. Transformational leaders are visionaries who do not look at today without envisioning a better tomorrow. Smith (2011), states that this leadership style focuses on not only the leader, but also the contribution of others. This shared involvement is considered an essential part of the vision strategy.
According to Bass (2011), transformational leaders are charismatic and engaging. They can charismatically connect and communicate their vision in a way that motivates and excites others to want to embrace the vision of change and feel included in its successful implementation and outcome. Transformational leaders effectively implement change through communication, vision, team building, and inspiration.
Applying Transformational Leadership Principles
I am a transformational leader based on the results of the leadership assessment from University of Kent in the United Kingdom. While these results did not surprise me, I do wonder if the results might be based more on the restraints of my current position rather than my actual leadership style. I am part of an administrative assistant staff that works independently but who share information as a team. The executives see me as the leader of
Those that follow a transformational leadership framework believe that leaders possess many of the aforementioned qualities, but the focus is on one’s ability to inspire and empower others (Ross, Fitzpatrick, Click, Krouse, & Clavelle, 2014). These leaders literally ‘transform’ their followers by inspiring enthusiasm and performance towards a
Becoming a transformational leader can occur either because the leader has a model or mentor that is a transformational leader, because he/she is a born transformational leader, or through reflection. Senge (1990) wrote that “Learning through reflection is about finding the creative tension...between an understanding of current reality and a vision of desirable practice” (as cited in Johns, 2004, p. 24). In addition, Schuster (1994) noted that one who desires to become a transformational leader can cultivate certain qualities that are characteristic of such a leader: a stimulating vision for the organization, honesty, empathy, authenticity, the ability to defer self-interest to ensure that others are recognized, a holistic concern for the organization, the ability to share power with others, and the ability to develop others (as cited in Johns, 2004, p. 25). The transformational leader is also an effective communicator who persists during hard times and still has the courage to continue to move ahead even when fatigued and encountering difficulties (Schuster, 1994, as cited in Johns, 2004, p. 25).
Transformational Leadership empowers or enables its followers. The leader engages with the follower in a way that both the leader and follower transcend to a higher level of motivation and morality (Nicholls, 1994).
In addition, Burns et al., (as cited by Lavoie-Tremblay, et al., 2015) defined a transformational leader as “a leader who can extend and elevate the interests of staff, who can facilitate the commitment of staff to the mission and values of the organization, and who can lead staff to rise above their personal interests” (p. 582). Further, Broome (2013) identified transformational leaders as “proactive and hold core beliefs about the potential for development of both individuals they work with and their organization” (p. 327). Samad et al.(2015), connecting transformational leadership to servant leadership and authentic leadership reported, “transformational leadership is also congruent with regards to fostering higher levels of motivation among the followers’ and leaders’ ability to visualize the unforeseen” (pp.
The transformational leader needs to direct people towards where they want to go and where they need to be in order to achieve the vision (Luzinski, 2011, p. 501). According to Luzinski (2011), success occurs when followers and leaders learn from each other, coming to a common understanding and establishing shared values, not because followers dutifully agree to listen (p. 502). Successful transformational leadership has four components: idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration.
The three articles used for this comparison matrix looked at transformational leadership and how it affects those in relation to each study. The three articles were all written with a different purpose in mind, with all three correlating to the same hypothesis, “How does transformational leadership affect employees/individuals in different settings?” With similarities found in topic, it was also evident that there were several contrasting variables within each article. The three empirical articles that were utilized for this comparison were as follows: Transformational Leadership in
A Transformational Leader is a person who assesses a country, or organization/company, and recognizes the need for a change in the entity and is able to envision what this change should be. The transformational leader not only envisions the necessary change but has the required personality and strength of character that will enable them to influence others to buy into their vision and make it their own, and hence be willing to follow the leader in the quest to bring about the vision.
Transformational leadership describes a leader moving followers beyond immediate self-interests through idealized influence (charisma), inspiration motivation, intellectual stimulation, or individualized consideration. Transformational leaders are change agents. They influence the mission and objectives to make way for a brighter future for the organization. Followers are motivated to do more than is originally expected because of their feelings of trust and respect for the leader.
That also relates to the leadership style of the transformational leader. They focus on the people as the key elements to bring change to an organization.
Transformational leadership. Burns (1978) is recognized as one of the earliest theorist on transformational leadership, who introduced transformational leadership over 30 years ago. Transformational leaders are perceived as leaders who uplift their employee morale, subsequently uplifting the entire organizational. Transformational leaders are known by their capacity to inspire followers to forgo self-interests in achieving superior results for the organization (Clawson, 2006). Avolio and Yammarino (2002) shared Bass’s explanation of transformational leadership as leaders who act as agents of change that stimulate, and transform followers’ attitudes, beliefs, and motivate from lower to higher level of arousal.
Transformational Leadership can play a role in creating a successful team. It can also be the process that changes and transforms people dealing with emotions, values, ethics, and standards. Transformational Leadership is the process whereby a person engages others and creates a connection that raises the level of motivation and morality in both the leader and the follower (Northhouse , 186). This applies to a team because you always have to be able to connect and motivate others
Transformational leaders are able to inspire employees to work towards a common goal by changing their expectations, motivation and perception of why they are doing the work. Transformational leaders cultivate a commitment from their employees, which encourages them to put aside self-interest to work
A TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER is a person who stimulates and inspires followers to achieve extraordinary outcomes (Robbins, 2007)It has been shown to influence organisational members by transforming their values and priorities while motivating them to perform beyond their expectations (Rowold, 2007)Increased levels of job satisfaction & reduced turnover intentions are consequences of transformational leadership. It is all about leadership that creates positive change in the followers whereby they take care of each other’s interests and act in the interestsof the groupas a whole (Warrilow, 2012)
Straightaway, I believe that I am a transformational leader. A transformational leader upholds the four dimensions that the leadership style contains. This leadership style is considered one of the most effective forms there is, according to research. It is also not a replacement for other leadership styles. For example, in the article “Transformational and Transactional Leadership: A Meta-Analytic Test of their Relative Validity” by Timothy A. Judge and Ronald F. Piccolo, the authors explain how transformational leadership is built upon a transactional leadership base. It could be imagined by moving from one end of the continuum to the other. The four dimensions of transformational leadership are charisma or idealized influence,
Finally, onto a review of the transformational leadership style. Transformational leaders that are effective develop a vision, communicate changes to employees in a convincing way, nurture trust and motivate others to take action. These leaders are able to motivate