Transformational leadership is the style of leadership in which the leader identifies the needed change, creates a vision to guide the change through inspiration, and executes the change with the commitment of the members of the group (Northouse). Northouse goes further to explain transformational leadership as the process whereby a person engages others and creates a connection that raises the level of motivation and morality in both the leader and the follower.
Two of the most inspirational transformational leaders that come to mind for me have been Martin Luther King and John F. Kennedy. King, with his “I have a Dream” speech inspired the Civil Rights movement. President Kennedy’s vision of “landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth” inspired the space race of the 1960s and 1970s. These men filled the categories of transformational leaders and with their popularity, charisma and confidence; they inspired a nation to change from their old ways into a new millennium of national, social and political improvement. The leader must be confident, charismatic and inspirational, pay attention to their surroundings and followers, creative and open to new ideas and have a vision and the ability to communicate that vision.
If the leadership is transformational, its charisma or idealized influence is envisioning, confident, and sets high standards for emulation. Its inspirational motivation provides followers with challenges and meaning for engaging in shared goals and undertakings. Its intellectual stimulation helps followers to question assumptions and to generate more creative solutions to problems. Its individualized consideration treats each follower as an individual and provides coaching, mentoring and growth opportunities.
Transformational Leadership can be very effective due to the fact that its motivational and inspirational effects can be long lasting and felt by every employee in the organization. In my own experience I have performed best when working under charismatic managers. There is something to be said about following someone who is passionate and believes in what they are doing. Transformational leadership encourages its members to be more proactive and more productive without any specific direction or a reward in mind other than that it benefits the organization as a whole.
Northouse, P.G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and Practice. Los Angeles: Sage Publications.
PSU World Campus. PSYCH 485: Lesson 10
BROOKLYNE NICOLE RIDDER says
I agree that both Martin Luther King and President Kennedy were both transformational leaders. They led people of our nation at important times for America. They displayed confidence and were able to inspire others. However, you mentioned charisma, and that both of these leaders portray this characteristic. We know from our lesson that “charisma is a special personality characteristic that gives a person great influence and is reserved for a few and results in a person being treated as a leader” (Weber, 1947). In further depth it states that all transformational leaders are charismatic but all charismatic people do not use transformational leadership.
Would you agree with this statement? What makes you believe both of these leaders were charismatic.
I feel that in order for a person to be charismatic, they must have good communication skills as well. But what about those leaders who lead by example or by other means?
More specifically, how did Adolf Hitler lead a whole nation to doom? He had to be charismatic then, because I feel he was a transformational leader. By the definition, he had a vision and led others to see his vision. So are all transformational leaders charismatic?