Chapter 4: Transformational Leadership

Introduction

• Focus on transformational leadership
• Comparison with transactional leadership

Transactional vs Transformational Leadership

• Transactional Leadership:
  • Traditional form of leadership
  • Satisfies basic human needs (e.g. income)
• Transformational Leadership:
  • Satisfies higher-level human needs (e.g. self-esteem)
  • Derived from Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs (pg. 100)

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

• Levels:
  • Basic needs: Food, water, air
  • Safety needs: Security, employment
  • Love/Belonging: Relationships, friends
  • Esteem: Self-esteem, recognition
  • Self-actualization: Achieving potential, creativity
• Transactional leadership meets lower-level needs
• Transformational leadership meets higher-level needs

Characteristics of Transformational Leaders

• Creative:
  • Innovate with old ideas to meet new demands
  • Deep thinking, problem-finding orientation
• Interactive:
  • Engage and involve with followers
  • Emphasize accessibility and listening
• Visionary:
  • Communicate vision and purpose
  • Energize and motivate followers
  • Establish standards of excellence
  • Bridge present and future (pg. 113-114)
• Empowering:
  • Share power to foster achievement
  • Encourage commitment and ownership
• Passionate:
  • Show commitment and love for work
  • Encourage others through personal passion

Concept of Charisma

• Hard to define; generally understood as charm or appeal
• Approaches to Understanding Charisma:
  • Sociological Approach:
    • Seen as innate or god-given talent
    • Identifiable but not developable
  • Behavioral Attribution Approach:
    • Displayed through behaviors (self-confidence, high expectations, relationships, commitment)
    • Prescriptive, can develop charisma through behaviors
  • Communication Approach:
    • Result of effective communication skills
    • Command of rhetoric and persuasion
    • Use of symbols and framing to convey messages

Conclusion

• Summarized transactional vs. transformational leadership
• Examined qualities of transformational leaders
• Explored different perspectives on charisma

Next Steps

• Work on the task list
• Contact instructor via email with questions

Note: Refer to textbook pages 100, 102, 113-114 for specific details.