Transformational Leadership

Transformational Leadership and Group Climate – Empirical Results from Symphony Orchestras

“Literature gives us several indications on how transformational leadership increases success in groups and organizations (Avolio et al, 1999; Bass, 1998; De Dreu & Weingart, 2003; Fuller et al, 1996; Lowe, Kroeck & Sivasubramaniam, 1996).   The positive effects of transformational leadership in organizations seem to depend largely not only on the specific performance criteria, but on particular situational conditions (Gebert, 2002; Ehrhart & Klein, 2001).   The question of whether a cooperative group climate among the followers is a prerequisite for the success of transformational leadership is investigated in the context of symphony orchestras.   We assume the conductor’s transformational leadership promotes the artistic quality of a symphony orchestra only if there is a highly cooperative climate in the orchestra.

The particular need for a motivating leadership style in the orchestra becomes clear once one considers the special nature of the leadership constellation in an orchestra.   Generally, musicians do not participate in developing the orchest4ra’s conception for the interpretation o n the composition and they don’t have much freedom in following this adaptation.   We assume that a conductor with a transformational leadership style is successful because he fosters the musicians’ motivation and hence also their effort in three ways: First, the conductor, who is perceived as charismatic, conveys trust and optimism, because with musicians accredit him with high artistic competence (Lebrecht, 2001).   Second, a conductor with a transformational leadership style conveys his artistic conception as a vision.   Third, a transformationally leading conductor enhances the musicians’ intellectual stimulation.

Based on the specific task of the orchestra members, many of the dimensions for climate discussed in literature, like autonomy, structurization, hierarchization... [continues]

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