Introduction
Transformational leaders’ main role in an organization is to inspire positive change, specifically among employees. It is important to note that these leaders are concerned with helping each member of the organization succeed. Therefore, this discussion will be guided by questions related to issues such as motivation to explore transformational leadership. The idea is to understand clearly how transformational educational leaders approach different issues in an organizational setting. More specifically, this task requires one to describe the academic intention of each question developed in line with a specific leadership style.
We discovered that you have always been interested in the topic of higher education reforms. Please explain why this topic seemed important to you.
It is imperative to note that each leader must have a well-defined purpose and plan that paints a clear picture of what they strive to do. This question seeks to help learners realize that each leader has their areas of specialization, and sometimes organizations hire them depending on their performance record. For instance, an institution of higher learning may decide to hire a leader who has previously been championing educational reforms. Such leaders understand why the institutions hired them in the first place.
Why did Kean University invite you as professor and chancellor in 2018?
Institutions of higher learning are constantly experiencing change and, as such, must strive to hire leaders who can help them achieve the same. Therefore, the academic intention of this question is to help learners develop a clear understanding of why institutions may opt to hire a leader who doubles as a professor and a chancellor. According to Zheng and Hahm (2019), professors are employed by higher education institutions to help with research, teaching, and academic services. Their role as chancellors is to help provide leadership to a highly diverse institution.
What changes did you introduce to the university’s work?
Transformational leaders’ main aim is to inspire positive change in an institution. Therefore, this question is intended to show some of the transformational changes that leaders are likely to bring to an institution of higher learning. For instance, Alsayyed et al. (2020) note that such leaders strive to promote a more professional atmosphere by encouraging students to share their viewpoints. Such leaders understand how to empower others without necessarily overpowering them. In essence, the academic intention of this question is to help the student understand why organizations opt to change their top leadership by hiring new leaders.
How did the leadership style influence the change process?
The academic intention of this question is to help students identify the different types of leadership styles and further narrow them down to a specific type. It is important to note that each leader’s approach changes differently depending on their leadership style. For instance, transformational leaders motivate people to participate in the change process by explaining why change is necessary (Nugroho et al., 2020). In addition, the leader may go a step further to provide a clear picture of what the future looks like. Overall, the question seeks to help learners establish a clear picture of the impact of leadership styles on the change process.
How did the process affect your performance and internal motivation?
The main intention of this question is to show learners that the change process requires leaders to be aware of its overall impact. Buick et al. (2018) argued in their study, “Change creates new relationships and improves old ones. It contributes to the development of emotional intelligence, and through it, it enhances self-awareness” (p.222). This means that leaders who are fully aware of why change is necessary are capable of prioritizing the needs of others, including the employees. For instance, in an institution of higher learning, a transformational leader must try to be flexible and listen to the interests of students and educators because the main goal is to support their motivation.
How does organizational culture interact with the change process?
This question seeks to show the existing relationship between organizational culture and the change process. Elsbach & Stigliani (2018) defined organizational culture as a “system of shared assumptions, values, and beliefs that helps individuals understand which behaviors are and are not appropriate within an organization” (p. 274). Therefore, transformational leaders, in an effort to initiate change, must be aware of the diverse nature of the workforce. In a different study, Nelson et al. (2020) noted that the relationship between organizational culture and the change process varies depending on the situation. For instance, organizational culture can positively or negatively impact a change initiative. This explains that most leaders strive to adapt to change to avoid resistance. This, combined with enough prior training, ensures employees embrace change with confidence.
Conclusion
This assignment aimed to allow the learner to describe the academic intention of a series of questions developed in line with a specific leadership style. For this paper, the leadership style chosen was transformational, which emphasizes the need to motivate each member to succeed. As evidenced above, the six questions covered various topics, including organizational culture, change, leadership style, and motivation. One such question is aimed at helping learners establish the existing relationship between organizational culture and the change process. It emerged clearly from the discussion that the interaction between the two varies depending on the situation – organizational culture can positively or negatively impact a change initiative. Similarly, some of these questions aimed to help students understand how different leaders approach change initiatives.
References
Alsayyed, N. M., Suifan, T. S., Sweis, R. J., & Kilani, B. A. (2020). The impact of transformational leadership on organizational performance case study: The University of Jordan. International Journal of Business Excellence, 20(2), 169-190. Web.
Buick, F., Blackman, D., & Johnson, S. (2018). Enabling middle managers as change agents: Why organizational support needs to change. Australian Journal of Public Administration, 77(2), 222-235. Web.
Elsbach, K. D., & Stigliani, I. (2018). Design thinking and organizational culture: A review and framework for future research. Journal of Management, 44(6), 274-306. Web.
Nelson, W. A., Taylor, E., & Walsh, T. (2020). Building an ethical organizational culture. The Health Care Manager, 39(4), 168-174. Web.
Nugroho, Y. A., Asbari, M., Purwanto, A., Basuki, S., Sudiyono, R. N., Fikri, M. A. A., & Xavir, Y. (2020). Transformational leadership and employees’ performances: The mediating role of motivation and work environment. EduPsyCouns: Journal of Education, Psychology and Counseling, 2(1), 438-460. Web.
Zheng, F., & Hahm, S. (2019). The Effects of Professors’ Transformational Leadership on the Improvement of Chinese Students’ University Satisfaction: The Mediating Effects of University Identification. International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology, 7(4), 137-144. Web.