transformational leadership Position Paper on a Case Study and Strength/Weaknesses While researching and reading about Transformational Leadership I ran across an Italian Proverb: “A rotting fish begins to stink at the head.” This quote sums up what transformational leadership means to me. Regardless if the leader is encouraging what society views as positive or negative behavior, the fact that he/she is influencing those below him/her is what matters most. Some of the great leaders who possessed the Transformational leadership style were Alexander the Great and Queen Elizabeth I. They’ve been valued in history for treating individuals in society as quality humans and that’s why they’ve been so influential. They possess the leadership factors of idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration. Transformational Leadership is one of the most respected leadership styles, in my opinion.
Some of the strengths, such as it’s been a “focal point for research” and has a “strong emphasis on needs, values, and morals,” (Northouse, 2012, p. 201), of the followers in the situation are reasons which prove my opinion. In addition to those strengths, transformational Leadership focuses on improving individuals’ moral responsibilities. As a result, leaders with moral standards are created and in response, create more leaders with moral accountabilities in the future. Most of the weaknesses are accurate flaws which creates a form of deception for me. Although it’s been proven Transformational Leadership results in change, there has not been a direct link proven which indicates Transformational Leadership yields the change.
The Essay on Theory Of Leadership Transformational Leader
While I would like to believe I am a transformational leader, there are times I find that I demonstrate the characteristics of the transactional theory in my everyday practice in formal leadership roles. Transformational leadership theory, as I understand it as described by James Burns, 'looks for potential motives in followers, their needs, values, and morals' and 'involves attempts by leaders to ...
My least favorite weakness is Transformational Leadership gives the appearance that the leader is doing the work individually without the help from Transformational Leader’s followers. Without the people below the leader having willingness to change, change is not possible. As an administrator, I could utilize Transformational Leadership within my school if I felt I supervised teachers with the ability and/or desire to become leaders within the school. I would choose at least one to work one on one with and mentor them to become a greater leader with similar qualities to mine. I would use my moral and charisma to influence those future leaders. As a result, I would have a clear stance on who was an acceptable candidate, willing to follow closely in my footsteps and who was not. In return, when they became leaders in the school, they would take on a similar leadership style as mine and pass it on to future leaders below them.
References
Northouse, P.G. (2012).
Leadership Theory and Practice. (6th ed.).
Sage Publications, Inc. ISBN 978-1-4522-0340-9
