Session 4 Modern Approaches To Leadership...

Modern Approaches to Leadership:
Engaging Hearts and Minds
PRESENTED BY:
Kevin Davis MAB; MSc; MFA
Transformational Leadership:
Have you ever been in a group where someone took control of the situation by conveying a clear
vision of the group's goals, a marked passion for the work, and an ability to make the rest of the
group feel recharged and energized?
This person just might be what is called a Transformational Leader.
Transformational leadership is a type of leadership style that can inspire positive changes in those
who follow.
Transformational leaders are generally energetic, enthusiastic, and passionate. Not only are these
leaders concerned and involved in the process; they are also focused on helping every member of
the group succeed as well.
The History of Transformational Leadership
The concept of transformational leadership was initially introduced by leadership expert and
presidential biographer James MacGregor Burns. According to Burns, transformational leadership
can be seen when "leaders and followers make each other to advance to a higher level of moral
and motivation."
Through the strength of their vision and personality, transformational leaders are able to inspire
followers to change expectations, perceptions, and motivations to work towards common
goals.
Later, researcher Bernard M. Bass expanded upon Burns' original ideas to develop what is today
referred to as Bass’ Transformational Leadership Theory.
According to Bass, transformational leadership can be defined based on the impact that it has on
followers. Transformational leaders, Bass suggested, garner trust, respect, and admiration from
their followers.
The Components of Transformational Leadership
Bass also suggested that there were four different components of
transformational leadership.
Intellectual Stimulation – Transformational leaders not only challenge the status
quo; they also encourage creativity among followers. The leader encourages
followers to explore new ways of doing things and new opportunities to learn.
Individualized Consideration – Transformational leadership also involves offering
support and encouragement to individual followers. In order to foster supportive
relationships, transformational leaders keep lines of communication open so that
followers feel free to share ideas and so that leaders can offer direct recognition
of the unique contributions of each follower.
The Components of Transformational Leadership
Inspirational Motivation – Transformational leaders have a clear vision that they
are able to articulate to followers. These leaders are also able to help followers
experience the same passion and motivation to fulfill these goals.
Idealized Influence – The transformational leader serve as a role model for
followers. Because followers trust and respect the leader, they emulate this
individual and internalize his or her ideals.
"Transformational leaders...are those who stimulate and inspire followers to both
achieve extraordinary outcomes and, in the process, develop their own leadership
capacity.
Transformational leaders help followers grow and develop into leaders by responding to
individual followers' needs by empowering them and by aligning the objectives and goals of
the individual followers, the leader, the group, and the larger organization."
Transformational Leadership: Observations
Bass and Riggio:
Researchers have found that this style of leadership can have a positive effect on
the group.
"Research evidence clearly shows that groups led by transformational leaders
have higher levels of performance and satisfaction than groups led by other types
of leaders,"
The reason, he suggests, is that transformational leaders believe that their
followers can do their best, leading members of the group to feel inspired and
empowered.
Moving From Transactional to Transformational Leadership
The approach is based on exchange and rationality: ‘You do this for me and
I’ll do that for you, either now or in the future.’ Of course, this exchange is
common, being readily observed throughout all levels of most
organisations.
Transformational leaders appeal to the emotionality of their followers.
They inspire followers to put aside and transcend their own personal
interests to work for the benefit of higher order goals, values and principles.
Although his statement is perhaps somewhat exaggerated, according to
Burns a transforming leader ‘engages the full person of the follower’.
PART II
Modern Approaches to Leadership
Moving from Transactional to

Transformational Leadership
Moving From Transactional to Transformational Leadership
Kouzes and Posner (2002) describe ‘five practices of exemplary leadership’ that
closely parallel the ideas proposed in transformational leadership theory.
Those five practices are:
1. Model the way.
2. Inspire a shared vision.
3. Challenge the process.
4. Enable others to act.
5. Encourage the heart.
Managing Efficiently versus Leading Change
Kotter (1990) suggests that transactional leadership is about managing efficiently
whereas transformational leadership is truly about leadership that brings about change.
He points out that transformational leadership behaviours are more effective than
transactional approaches in terms of a variety of outcomes, including:
1. Increased organisational commitment of followers;
2. Increased effort and financial performance;
3. Increased job satisfaction;
4. Greater trust in management;
5. Increased employee innovation, harmony and good citizenship;
6. Lower levels of work stress and burnout.
Identifying Transformational Leadership Behaviours
Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ),

The questionnaire measures transformational leadership in the four subscales:
 Individualised Consideration (IC);
 Intellectual Stimulation (IS);
 Charisma (CHA);
 Inspirational Motivation (IM).
Limitation of MLQ – Gender Imbalance

Transformational Leadership - Qualities
Vision. These leaders created a clear, realistic, believable and attractive vision which
pulled people into supporting organisational goals. Followers felt empowered as
significant contributors towards that vision.
Social architecture. These leaders created a shared meaning that transformed values and
culture so that employees accepted the new philosophy and direction of the organisation.
Trust. Not surprisingly, these leaders were found to develop trust by setting an example,
exemplifying standards of behaviour. They were transparent in their beliefs, stood by their
promises, and were seen to be eminently reliable, even in times of uncertainty.
Positive self-regard. Knowing their strengths and weaknesses, the leaders capitalised on
their strengths rather than dwelling on their limitations. This process also appeared to
have a similar impact on their followers.
Transformational Leadership and the Management of Change
Tichy and DeVanna studied a smaller group of 12 CEOs but concentrated
specifically on how these executives had managed their organisations through
periods of significant change, perhaps brought about by rapid changes in
technology, competition, economic trends, social changes and so on.
They found that these leaders had managed change through three
stages:
1. Recognising the need for change.
2. Creating a vision for change.
3. Institutionalising the change.
Charisma and Transformational Leadership
House (1976) developed a theory of charismatic leadership and identified
the characteristics of charismatic leaders as including dominance, a strong
desire to influence others, a strong sense of one’s own moral values, and
self confidence.
According to Meindl (1990), charismatic leaders tend to emerge in times of
social and political crisis when there is a great deal of psychological
insecurity and lack of social cohesion.
House agreed that charismatic leaders are more likely to arise in times of
distress and that, in addition to certain personality characteristics, they
also exhibit certain behaviours:
Charismatic leaders set high expectations for their followers, with an
accompanying confidence that the followers can meet those expectations.
 The goals tend to have moral or ideological overtones, providing a sense of a
higher purpose.
 Charismatic leaders are strong role models for those beliefs.
Charismatic leaders appear to followers to be very competent.
Finally, House points out that the result of charismatic leadership is that followers
feel great warmth for the leader, a congruence with and trust in the leader’s
beliefs, and an unquestioning acceptance of the leader – and, of course, followers
believe that their goals are worthy and achievable.
According to House et al. (1991), charismatic leaders often:
1. Are perceived as having a divine or semi divine quality;
2. Have an unconditional acceptance of their authority and emotional
commitment;
3. Have ‘hypnotic’ eyes and voice;
4. Possess good oratory skills.
The study of charismatic leadership in organisations has been significantly influenced by
the work of Jay Conger and Bob Kanungo (1987; 1988; 1998). They developed a model
focusing on several behavioural stages that:
Stage 1: The leader develops a vision of idealised change that moves beyond the status
quo, e.g. J. F. Kennedy had a vision of putting a man on the moon by the end of the
1960s. Initially to most people this seemed an impossible task.
Stage 2: The leader communicates this belief and vision, and motivates followers to go
beyond the status quo and visualise this happening.
Stage 3: The leader builds trust by exhibiting qualities such as expertise, success, risk
taking and unconventional actions.
Stage 4: The leader demonstrates ways to achieve the vision by means of
empowerment, behaviour modelling for followers, etc.
Similarly, Conger and Kanungo (1998) describe five behavioural
attributes of charismatic leaders:
1. Vision and articulation;
2. Sensitivity to the environment;
3. Sensitivity to member needs;
4. Personal risk taking;
5. Performing unconventional behaviour.
Authentic Leadership
• Internalized Self-regulation
– Conduct is guided by internal values rather than
external threats, inducements, or rewards (Ryan
& Deci,2003)
We must become the

change we want to see
Mahatma Ghandi
Servant Leadership
Developing Transformational Leadership
Bass (1990) proposed two methods for transformational leadership training:
Individual coaching. The MLQ is completed by a manager’s line reports. The ratings are
collected and presented to the leader in an individual counselling session and compared
with self ratings. The leader is given personal feedback and target goals are set.
Group workshops. A group of leaders attend a workshop which incorporate the
following activities:
 Brainstorming the behaviours displayed by effective and/or ineffective leaders.
 This is then linked to concepts of transformational leadership theory.
Participants watch videos depicting a variety of leadership styles in action.
 Action plans are developed.
Concerns About Transformational Leadership
While transformational leadership appears to be a powerful way of influencing followers,
it can be abused to achieve unethical ends. Bass (1990) has warned against the ‘pseudo
transformational leader’, who displays the behaviours associated with transformational
leadership to pursue his or her own self-interest to meet selfish needs.
Yet another criticism of transformational leadership is its focus on leadership at the top,
perhaps to the exclusion of others. The leader is seen to be a visionary, and even though
others may be involved, the leader is too often seen as the change agent, the one who
has created and pursued the vision. Therefore the concern is that it is elitist, even
antidemocratic.
Transformational Leadership May Not Be Sustainable
Transformational Leadership Focus Too Much on the Top.
Transformational Leadership’s Lack of Conceptual Clarity.
Transformational Leadership - Summary
Transformational
Leadership
Transformational leaders are
described as charismatic and
inspirational.
They are intellectually
stimulating and show
consideration.
Charisma is a key attribute of
transformational leaders.

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Modern Approaches to Leadership:

Engaging Hearts and Minds

Moving from Transactional to

Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ),

Limitation of MLQ – Gender Imbalance

We must become the

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