TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP

DEFINITION

Transformational leadership can be defined as a type of leadership in which leaders strongly motivate and give morale to their followers through active leader-follower engagement, influence, connection and high-level motivation. Transformation leadership is about changing the status quo of both the followers (employees) and the organization at large. Further research by Bass and AVilio proposed that transformational leadership is composed of four behavior dimensions: idealized influence, inspirational motivation, individual consideration and intellectual stimulation.

TRANSFORMATIONAL MODELS AND DIMENSTIONS

As proposed by Bass and Avilio, the behavioral dimensions of transformational leadership are as follows:

Idealized influence: Both transformational and charismatic leaders utilize their power to induce and establish influence in their followers. this behavioral pattern ensures the development of follower conviction to leaders' visions and objectives.
Inspirational motivation: In both transformational and charismatic leadership, leaders strive to inspire the followers by highlighting the positive effects and benefits of the vision and the impacts on followers status quo. on this way the followers are inspired and motivated to work towards achieving the shared vision by accomplishing their tasks.
Individual consideration: Transformational and charismatic leaders also aim at mentoring the individual followers and yielding to their concerns through strong leader-follower exchanges.
Intellectual stimulation: This behavioral pattern is enables transformational and charismatic leaders to encourage cuticle thinking, creativity and innovation in problem solving by employing the followers to think outside the box, risk taking and experimentation.

STRENGTH AND WEAKNESSES

STRENGTHS

Transformational leadership enhances creativity and innovation.
Transformational leadership is most effective compared to transactional leadership as it enhances learning culture among the employees i.e. teamwork, cooperation, innovation etc. consequently high-level organizational performance and stability.
Transformational leadership promotes and enhances employee (follower) motivation, follower organizational commitment and satisfaction.
The visionary effects of transformational leadership changes and transforms individuals (employees) and the organization at large.
Increased accountability and trust
Enhanced decision making

WEAKNESSES

In order for transformational leaders to transform or change the followers and the organization, the process often requires changes in the vision, mission, polices and methods of the organization. As such, for transformational leadership is difficult to establish where followers or organizational stakeholders are not willing or convicted to give room for the much-needed change. transformational leadership calls for embracement of change.
Can lead to act of favoritism: since transformational leaders spend with their team members in developing their professional skills, abilities, innovations etc. this can lead to the act of favoritism whereby the leader will Favour followers who portray higher leave of intellectual knowledge and creativity.
Requires constant involvement: for transformational leadership to work it requires constant high-level leader-followers communication.
Disruption of organizational routines. since transformational leadership calls for change in organizational policies, strategies and structure consequently disturbing the organization routine run of events.
Transformational leadership doesn't not depend on giving handouts, gifts, extra remuneration to employees (followers). sometimes this can lead lack of follower-motivation.
Transformational leadership is risky and the idea of influencing followers sometimes can backfire.

WORLD TRANFORMATIONAL LEADERS

Some literatures have described some of the following leaders as transformational while others have argued differently insisting that some of these leaders are both transformational and charismatic. there is a thin line between charismatic and transformational leaders, nevertheless it is fair to conclude that these leaders have portrayed transformational effects in various perspectives.

Jack Welch
Mahatma Gandh - also portrayed charismatic qualities.
Nelson Mandela - also portrayed charismatic qualities.
Bill Gates
Elon Musk
Martin Luther King Jr. - also portrayed charismatic qualities.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Abraham LInkon
Warren Buffet etc.

PREVIOUS RESEARCH RELATED TO TRANFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP

The first person to introduce the theory of transformation leadership was J.M Buns in 1978. in his research Buns proposed two strategies which can be used to achieve the work done: transactional and transformational leadership. unlike transformational leadership, the transactional leadership there is exchange of valued gifts and incentives in order to motivate followers to meet certain organizational objectives, goals and milestones. since then, many theories regarding transformational leadership have been published by various scholars. Recently (Nguen et. al. 2022) has published about reconciling general transformational leadership and safety-specific transformational leadership. in which the author investigated the relationship between general transformation leadership (GTL) and safety-specific transformational leadership models (SSTL). (Manuela and Arnold, 2022) have recently done research on up and downs of transformational leadership in which they highlighted pro and cons of transformational leadership style. And also (Sikandar, et. al, 2022) have recently studied on the employee performance under transformational leadership and organizational citizenship behavior. actually, all these citations are 2022 published and quite many articles have been published regarding the transformation leadership viability and applications. This only proves the essentiality of transformation leadership in 21st century organizational behavior.

TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP VS. CHARISMATIC LEADERSHIP

Transformational and charismatic leadership styles can be combined for even much effective leadership style. Usually, transformational leaders would use their charisma and position to inspire and motivate followers in achieving organizational goals, milestones and objectives. Apart from sharing the behavioral dimensions, efficient transformational and charismatic leaders share particular qualities and characteristics.

High-level communication skills
Ability to inspire trust, innovation and creativity.
Ability empowers followers.
Willing to take risks.
Visionary
High-level self-confidence and moral resolution
focus on goals and achievements.

Transformational and charismatic leadership share many characteristics and qualities. transformational leaders usually use their charisma as a driving factor, on the other hand, charismatic leaders are usually transformational. however slight differences exist between transformational and charismatic leaders.

Not all transformational leaders are charismatic.
Charismatic leaders are more activist mindset and are influenced by political and social attributes as opportunities to influence their followers while transformational leaders have greater strategic approach and driven by economic approach.
Transformational leaders follow organic career path of promotions and growth while charismatic leaders follow inorganic career path and are able to strive during organizational crisis.
Charismatic leaders convey their personal life or purpose in life and use it as a driving force to achieve their vision while transformational leaders do not usually use their purpose in life as a driving force in achieving their transformative visions.
Charismatic leaders exhibit greater levels of emotional resistance and can take higher risks in achieving their visions than transformational leaders.

REFERENCES

Viet, N. Q., Nick, T., Julian, B., Carolyn, A. M., & Simon, D. (2022). Reconciling general transformational leadership and safety-specific transformational leadership: A paradox perspective. Journal of safety research, 0022-4375.
Manuela, M., & Anorld, B. B. (2022). Ups and downs of transformational leadership: A weekly diary study. European management journal, 0263-2373.
Sikandar , Q. A., Zunaib, Z., Mingyue, F., MOnica, L. S., & Muhammad, B. K. (2022). Employee perfomance under transformational leadership and organisational citizenship behavior: A mediated Model. heliyon, 8(11), 2405-8440.
Lussier, R. N., & Achua, C. F. (2016). Leadership: Theory, application, & skill development (6th ed.). Boston , USA.
Northhouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: theory and practice (8th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Page updated

Report abuse