The styles that a leader adopts may significantly impact the team’s performance. Those are numerous, and one can select what suits them the most and guarantees improved results. One of the recent and promising leadership styles is transformational. It appears to address the challenges set by the 21st century and considers such phenomena as diversity, equality, and social justice. This paper will describe the transformational leadership style, explain its efficiency, and provide some examples of it in action.
Transformational leadership is a relatively new concept that continues to acquire new meanings depending on the context. Generally, the style involves encouraging and motivating one’s subordinates to achieve the goal, in the formulation of which everyone equally participates (DiFranza, 2019). Transformational leaders are not distant figures issuing orders to their followers; they are actively involved in the process, uniting an uncooperative team and inspiring its members (DiFranza, 2019). Such leading figures possess strong moral qualities and respect the notions of inclusivity and equity, allowing everyone to voice their opinion (DiFranza, 2019). Creativity is also one of the transformational leader’s defining features, as it leads to openness and preparedness for entirely new situations (Mittal & Dhar, 2015). Being transformational also implies that everyone can experience the leading role by exhibiting respective qualities (Aga et al., 2016). The style’s flexibility makes it appropriate for many settings, including business, politics, and education (Mittal & Dhar, 2015). Overall, transformational leadership is a robust way to enhance the team’s activity and creativity and make everyone involved.
What makes the transformational leadership style effective is, perhaps, its instrumentality and timeliness. It is current, and it may reflect the model leading figure that people expect. As a politician who is removed from its electorate might not be popular, an organization’s leader might also gain disapproval from their followers. All the fields in which people function are connected, and the demand for those to share leadership standards is not unnatural. The transformational leadership style’s values are in accordance with the democratic and liberal ones, and those who feel repressed might fulfill their potential. Inclusivity implies that everyone can become a valuable team member, making the work more efficient. The leader’s constant involvement is also a significant advantage, as they can identify the mistakes and encourage the team to correct them. The absence of fear of punishment, which is present in the related transactional style, does not affect effectiveness; it is a virtue that makes everyone more confident in the contribution (Rodrigues & Ferreira, 2015). Thus, the transformational leadership style is suitable for the 21st century and guarantees teamwork results.
Many leaders from various fields adopted the style and became successful in achieving their goals. Amazon’s CEO, Jeff Bezos, is considered the top transformational leader, which is evident from the performance of his company (Anthony & Schwartz, 2017). Apple’s leading figures are also transformational, which may explain the ecosystem’s durability (Anthony & Schwartz, 2017). Nelson Mandela was a prime transformational leader in the political sphere, which allowed him to reform his country (DiFranza, 2019). Overall, it appears that some of the most successful companies follow the transformational leadership style, which further proves its viability.
In conclusion, the transformational leadership style is a modern concept that addresses the current challenges in organizations. It is based upon the leader’s motivating and inspiring role and their participation. Every team member has the freedom and the opportunity to influence the outcome. Many factors determine the style’s effectiveness, including its democratic values. A lot of successful companies in various fields have transformational leaders, which implies that their style does positively impact effectiveness.
References
Aga, D. A., Noorderhaven, N., & Vallejo, B. (2016). Transformational leadership and project success: The mediating role of team-building. International Journal of Project Management, 34(5), 806–818. Web.
Anthony, S. D., & Schwartz, E. I. (2017). What the best transformational leaders do. Harvard Business Review. Web.
DiFranza, A. (2019). Transformational leadership: How to inspire innovation in the workplace. Northeast University. Web.
Mittal, S., & Dhar, R. L. (2015). Transformational leadership and employee creativity: Mediating role of creative self-efficacy and moderating role of knowledge sharing. Management Decision, 53(5), 894-910. Web.
Rodrigues, A. de O., & Ferreira, M. C. (2015). The impact of transactional and transformational leadership style on organizational citizenship behaviors. Psico-USF, 20(3), 493-504. Web.