Today's Topic: Transformational Leadership
- Kattie Sadd
- Feb 5
- 5 min read
This week, we continued our leadership studies by examining our next leadership style—transformational leadership. After reading about both authentic and servant leadership, I think it’s safe to say that so far, transformational leadership may be one of my favorite styles.
Not only do transformational leaders inspire and motivate their teams, but they continuously encourage growth and development amongst all members of their teams leading to the development of future leaders.
Simply put, these types of leaders display energy, enthusiasm, and passion within their fields, and this transfers over to their teams and followers. Other key factors of transformational leadership include focusing on helping every member of their team reach their potential, inspiring growth and instilling confidence in their team, and garnering respect, admiration, and most importantly, trust from their followers (Cherry, 2024). To further explain this leadership style, let’s look at the four major components of transformational leadership.
Four Components of Transformational Leadership (Avolio, 2011; Bass, 1994; Cherry, 2024)
1. Intellectual stimulation: Encourages creativity amongst followers. Approaches problems in a positive manner, encouraging followers to come up with new ideas and approaches. Never criticizes followers’ ideas simply because they are different from the leaders.
2. Individualized consideration: Practices open communication to support and encourage each individual follower to reach their full potential. Encourages growth in every follower by acting as a mentor, teacher, coach, confidant, or counselor. Creates a supportive climate so that each follower can learn and thrive.
3. Inspirational motivation: Articulates a clear vision to followers, inspiring passion and motivation for all followers. They encourage team spirit, and display optimism and enthusiasm. They inspire their followers by both what they say and what they do.
4. Idealized influence: Acts as a role model for followers; is trusted and respected by followers which inspires followers to act in similar ways as the leader. Often sacrifice personal gain for the sake of others. Can be counted on to do the right thing, even when it’s challenging. A type of leader who is the central force in moving their group forward.
When discussing transformational leadership compared to other leadership styles, some researchers note that this leadership style often leads to teams going above and beyond what is asked of them.
According to Avolio (2011) “People have a greater sense of ownership at the highest levels … and are willing to provide the extra effort needed to succeed” (Avolio, 2011, p. 1). He continues by explaining that this leadership style leads to people being “committed to their work, more highly engaged, and more satisfied. In return, they produce more” (Avolio, 2011, p. 1)
Motivating and inspiring followers is a huge aspect of leadership, but doesn’t there need to be goals, expectations, and incentives to increase productivity or employee engagement?
Avolio (2011) adds that without the positive forms of transactional leadership such as setting goals and expectations and monitoring performance, leaders may be limited in their ability to succeed. It seems like there are parts of transactional leadership that must be present for transformational leadership to be successful.
Transactional leadership may result in positive outcomes, but without transformational leadership, followers won’t feel inspired or motivated.
Just in the last ten years, new research shows that it actually takes a different mindset to be a transformational leader. Avolio (2011) gives a great example of a transactional leader who sets clear goals and explains a project in detail to their followers, and of a transformational leader who explains the purpose behind the project, inspires their followers to buy into the ideas, and motivates them to go above and beyond for the greater good of the organization (Avolio, 2011).
This example shows how the two different leadership styles require different ways of thinking and influencing followers. But Avolio (2011) also points out “it is the combination of the two leadership orientations that optimize the full range of performance and development” (Avolio, 2011, p. 3).
A distinguishing characteristic of transformational leadership is that these types of leaders strive to develop their followers into leaders themselves (Avolio, 2011). Transformational leadership is also morally uplifting, allowing leaders to encourage challenge instead of suppressing it. These leaders are very trustworthy, have strong moral perspectives, are willing to be vulnerable, take ownership, and they continuously strive to leave an organization better than when they found it (Avolio, 2011).
Transactional leadership may produce positive outcomes because of incentives, but it creates an environment where followers may fear taking risks or thinking outside the box, or in some cases, speaking up and offering ideas at all.
Often transactional leaders try to be constructive, but if they are constantly correcting and controlling their followers, it makes it hard for the followers to trust this leader and feel inspired or motivated to work their hardest for this leader. “It is incredible to see so much latent potential in organizations that goes untapped because the leadership has not made the organization a safe place to say what you really think” (Avolio, 2011, p. 6).
When considering other forms of leadership, there are some where the leader takes a very hands-off approach, and this isn’t always a great thing for team cohesiveness, moral, or productivity. Laisses-faire leadership (LF) is another style of leadership; however, this style involves leaders who avoid responsibility, do not care what happens, and are fine with sitting around waiting for others to step up and get the job done (Avolio, 2011).
Avolio (2011) provides many examples within the literature on leadership styles that state that transformational leadership is more effective and more positive all around as a leadership style. When leaders demonstrate both transactional and transformational leadership, with an emphasis on the transactional side, positive outcomes are generated (Avolio, 2011).
Next, let’s examine my Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire results and see if they align with what I consider to be my own leadership styles.
MLQ Self-Assessment and Results
Idealized Influence: 15 (High)
Inspirational Motivation: 14 (High)
Intellectual Stimulation: 12 (High)
Individualized Consideration: 13 (High)
Contingent Rewards: 12 (High)
Management-by-exception: 10 (Moderate)
Laisses-faire Leadership: 7 (Low)
My assessment results make sense to me as over the past few years I have tried to lead teams with enthusiasm, passion, motivation, and inspiration. When I began my leadership position with the company I work for, it was an eye-opening experience. I’ve had to learn a lot along the way, and I’ve turned to leadership books to gain insight and advice on what it takes to be a positive and effective leader.
A couple of these books that discuss leadership that I highly recommend to anyone who hasn’t read them include, Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek, It’s Okay to be The Boss, by Bruce Tulgan, and lastly, one that I read during my undergrad at UNK called No Drama Leadership by Marlene Chism.
In conclusion, learning more about transformational leadership inspires me to continue developing my own leadership skills so that I can continue to motivate, encourage, and lead the teams that I’m working with. I know there are some traits that are shared between a few of the leadership styles that we’ve learned, so maybe at the end of the day, it’s a little bit of a combination of leadership styles that make teams come alive, work together, and generate great results for their organizations.
To help put this all into context, I’ll share a few more traits, and examples of transformational leadership according to our readings this week! Thank you for reading this post about transformational leadership, I hope you learned something new!
Traits of Transformational Leaders (Cherry, 2024)
Encouraging and Communicative
Active Listening Ability
Authenticity
Creativity
Inspirational
Keeps an Open Mind
Has Self-Awareness
Supportive
Takes Responsibility
Examples of Transformational Leaders (Cherry, 2024)
o Barack Obama
o Nelson Mandela
o Oprah Winfrey
o Steve Jobs
References:
Avolio, B. J. (2011). Full range leadership development (2nd ed.). Sage.
Bass, B. M., & Avolio, B. J. (1992). Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire.
Bass, B. M., & Avolio, B. J. (1994). Transformational leadership and organizational culture. International Journal of Public Administration, 17(3–4), 541–554. https://doi.org/10.1080/01900699408524907
Cherry, K. (2024, June 20). How do transformational leaders inspire and motivate followers?. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-transformational-leadership-2795313
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