Transformational Leadership

Tap into deeper values and a higher cause

The Transformational leadership approach has received much attention in recent years particularly with the need to 'turn-around' organisations or a unit's performance and respond to increasing economic, market and competitive pressures.

Writers such as Burns have highlighted the increased need for Transformational Leadership to help today's organisations succeed in complex and fast changing markets.

Transformational leadership aims to tap into the higher level motivations, aspirations and commitment of the people being led.

This appeal to a 'higher motivation or cause' is often espoused in an articulated Vision and 'call to action'.

Build on value systems

Transformational Leadership is often founded on the need to build on people's own personal value systems and create a self-motivating force across an organisation that stays true to general core values of trust and fairness.

Organisations that wish to make a radical departure from the status quo for example, due to competitive pressures threatening survival, the need for major performance improvement or a desire to revolutionise their place in the market and stakeholder satisfaction favour this approach.

Relationship to Charismatic and Inspirational Leadership

The approach is very closely linked to Inspirational or Charismatic leadership where leaders can inspire and use their own charisma to influence decision taking and action.  

Some writers such as Kreitner et al see this appeal to self-interest and self needs in the vision as a way of galvanising a company's performance and in some cases setting a vision which changes values and beliefs in the individuals.

This is not supported by all, for example Hunt suggested that Inspirational and Charismatic leadership can indeed be very impactful but this impact may not necessarily be for best effect or positive on the people and the organisation.  

For this reason Inspirational and Charismatic leadership is seen as different by many writers from Transformational Leadership.  As Transformational Leadership seeks to lock in the organisation's goals for a positive benefit.  Additionally, Transformational Leadership does not rely on the leader's charisma per se as that is seen as insufficient to mobilise a company or sustain improvement over time in the absence of a particular leader.

Relationship to Transactional Leadership

Transformational leadership theories and approaches arose at a similar time to Transactional Leadership research.

Writers such as Taffinder today look to a new breed of leadership, one which combines the best of Transformational Leadership and Transactional Leadership.

So the debate continues as to which form of leadership if any is best for today's needs.

Your approach?

Use this topic to understand more about Transformational Leadership.  Compare and contrast it to Inspirational and Charismatic Leadership and Transactional Leadership.

Learn more about other Leadership Theories.

Join and examine your own leadership style and see how you epitomise transformational behaviours in your actions as a leader.