An Analysis of Transformational Leadership
An Analysis of Transformational Leadership
BSP045 Work Psychology
B010898 Cheng Chen
Introduction
Since the early 1980s, there has been an explosion of interest on transformational leadership among scholars and managers. It is shown with evidence that the desire and effectiveness of transformational leadership style are universal (Den Hartog, et al., 1999, and Bass, et al. 2006). This leadership style, as its name implies, is a process which tends to change and transform individuals (Northouse, 2004). To help followers grow and develop into leaders, transformational leaders respond to individual followers’ needs and empower them (Bass, et al. 2006). It is also concerned with emotions, values, ethics, standards, and long-term goals (Northouse, 2004). Recently, some researchers (Charbonnier-Voirin, et al., 2010) mentioned that transformational leaders might have a desire to customize coaching, which could be conducted through telling each associate’s unique capability and intelligence and inspiring each person’s innovation and critical thinking. The topic area has been widely discussed and analysed from many different sources and as such provides an interesting topic area to research and discuss further.
This report will briefly introduce and outline the development of transformational leadership concept and theory, then examine the conceptual and empirical validity of transformational leadership in a global context. Initially, this report will begin with defining key terms in transformational leadership, compared with transactional leadership and other relevant concepts, in order to better understand the context of the text which will be covered. The Bass’s transformational model of leadership including its four components and the instrument relating to it, the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ), will then be reviewed. After that, both at conceptual and empirical level, analysis will be conducted to evaluate to what extent this model can help with
BSP045 Work Psychology
B010898 Cheng Chen
Introduction
Since the early 1980s, there has been an explosion of interest on transformational leadership among scholars and managers. It is shown with evidence that the desire and effectiveness of transformational leadership style are universal (Den Hartog, et al., 1999, and Bass, et al. 2006). This leadership style, as its name implies, is a process which tends to change and transform individuals (Northouse, 2004). To help followers grow and develop into leaders, transformational leaders respond to individual followers’ needs and empower them (Bass, et al. 2006). It is also concerned with emotions, values, ethics, standards, and long-term goals (Northouse, 2004). Recently, some researchers (Charbonnier-Voirin, et al., 2010) mentioned that transformational leaders might have a desire to customize coaching, which could be conducted through telling each associate’s unique capability and intelligence and inspiring each person’s innovation and critical thinking. The topic area has been widely discussed and analysed from many different sources and as such provides an interesting topic area to research and discuss further.
This report will briefly introduce and outline the development of transformational leadership concept and theory, then examine the conceptual and empirical validity of transformational leadership in a global context. Initially, this report will begin with defining key terms in transformational leadership, compared with transactional leadership and other relevant concepts, in order to better understand the context of the text which will be covered. The Bass’s transformational model of leadership including its four components and the instrument relating to it, the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ), will then be reviewed. After that, both at conceptual and empirical level, analysis will be conducted to evaluate to what extent this model can help with