Transformational Leadership Enhances Employee Motivation

Transformational leaders encourage group work, as they connect each follower’s identity and self to the project and collective identity of the corporation. They are role models for other staff and this inspires them and makes them

As Northouse (2015) explained, transformational leadership is a process that can change and transform the emotions, values, ethics, standard, and long term goals of the people. It also involves transforming followers to accomplish more than what is expected of them. The four factors that are closely associated with transformational leadership includes being an idealized influence or charisma leaders who act as strong role models, have a high standard of moral and ethical conduct, and deeply respected by his or her followers. A leader who can inspire and motivate their followers to be part of a shared vision of the organization. A leader who can also stimulate followers to become more creative and innovative, and provide the necessary coaches and advice to the followers (p.167).

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

The transformational leader induces employees to perform beyond expectations by empowering and motivating them, and sometimes by leading by example.

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.

These types of leaders, according to Avolio (1991) possess the characteristics of individual consideration, intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation, and idealized influence. This paper will examine the outcomes that are a direct result of transformational leaders who exhibit these types of traits such as job satisfaction and organizational commitment, job stress, safety, supervisor satisfaction, team, performance, and general.

There are many models of leadership that exist across a range of fields (e.g. social work, education, psychology, business, etc.). The ability to transform an organization successfully requires a different set of attitudes and skills. Transformational leadership is an approach where a leader utilizes inspiration, charisma, individualized attention, and intellectual stimulation with their employees (Iachini, Cross, & Freedman, 2015, p. 651). Transformational leadership helps to clarify organizational vision, inspires employees to attain objectives, empowers employees, encourages employees to take risks, and advocates the seeking of alternative solutions to challenges in the workplace (Transformational Leadership, 2015). It allows the leader to engage and motivate each follower identify with the organization’s values and goals.

Transformational leadership theory applies four factors for leaders to influence employees to perform beyond their abilities. These factors describes leaders that promote leadership through idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individual consideration (Shresh & Rajini 2013).Transformational leaders are deem as the most effective leadership style because of their character strengths as a excellent role model who leads by example and manage people based on their strengths and weaknesses to optimizes the organization performance (Shresh, & Rajini, 2013). Transformational leaders are known to reward, encourage and mentor people based on performance through inspiration, creativity, and innovation to solve problems to exceed expectation of the organization (Smith,

Transformational leaders express a clear vision, inspire others and work together with their team to identify common values and goals (Marquis and Huston 2009). They also recognise followers’ potential, assist them to develop their strengths and identify individual differences (Bass 2008).

The domain of leadership theory and research has had many conceptualizations proposed over the last few years (Avolio & Bass, 2003). These conceptualizations seem to have generated recent interest in the distinction among transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership research (Bass, 1990). Yukl (1998) noted that transformational leaders get followers to do as they desire by transforming them or changing the followers themselves. According to Barlow, Jordan, and Hendrix (2003), a transformational leader generates an image that awakens trust from subordinates and develops relationships that enable subordinates to move toward goal attainment using their knowledge, skills, and material resources to accomplish that end. Unlike transformational leaders, transactional leaders pursue a cost benefit exchange approach that does not change subordinates and uses portion or organizational resources to meet subordinates needs in return for contracted needs rendered by the subordinates (Bass, 1990). Although these forms might appear diametrically opposed, most theorists agree with Bass that they are not mutually exclusive. While transformational, transactional, and passive/avoidant leadership are conceptually distinct, the same individuals on a continuum might display these leadership behaviors by different amounts and different intensities (Bass & Avolio,

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

During the past three decades, transformational leadership has helped to transform the workforce. The need for this type of inspirational style was recognized and explored in an original work called Leadership by James Macgregor Burns (1978). Burns believed that transformational leadership was a collaborative process that served to raise the morals and motivations of everyone involved (Leadership, 1978, 19). This type of leader works to inspire others with a goal or plan for the future. According the Marquis and Huston (2015) one of the key aspects of this style is the ability to empower others

The intent of this qualitative research is to determine if the theory of transformational leadership came become a robust and established format from which to foster the authentic needs of followers throughout organizational systems and its culture, by using a team based approach utilizing the followers input and creativity to optimize their work ethic, qualitative and quantitative product productivity.

Transformational leaders encompass four major components: Idealized Influence, Inspirational Motivation, Intellectual Stimulation, and Individualized Consideration (Bass & Riggio, 2006). Idealized Influence refers to the authentic example transformational leaders exhibit, such as acting with integrity, having high moral standards, and committing to the mission of the organization. Transformational leaders must behave in ways that motivate followers through Inspirational Motivation or “providing meaning and challenge to their follower’s work,” (Bass & Riggio, 2006, p. 78). The element of Intellectual Stimulation is necessary to stimulate a culture of innovation, where followers are encouraged to demonstrate creative problem-solving and develop a growth-mindset. Transformational leaders adopt Individualized Consideration as a strategy

Transformational leaders seek to change those they lead. In doing so, they can represent sustainable, self-replicating leadership. Transformational leaders use knowledge, expertise and vision to change those around them in a way that leaves them (followers) with a buy-in that remains even when the leader that created it is no longer on the scene. Transformational leadership style depends on high levels of communication from management to meet goals. Leaders motivate employees and enhance productivity and efficiency through communication and high visibility. This style of leadership requires the involvement of management to meet goals. Leaders focus on the big picture within an organization and delegate smaller tasks to the team to accomplish