Traditional Leadership Models

Influence of Traditional Leadership Models
Leadership ideals continue to evolve and acquire the interests of scholars and business leaders, as efforts remain ongoing in defining and developing the ultimate, universal model of leadership. As such, with the growing complexity of globalization, technology, and nontraditional relationships between superiors and subordinates, the topic of transactional or traditional models has elicited strong criticisms and has been challenged as outdated or ineffective in modern settings (Rouse, 2000). Yet, the influence of traditional leadership models on leaders and followers alike warrants understanding because the traditional models of leadership formed the foundational support system for modern leadership standards. Therefore, this paper will explore traditional leadership models in the realm of follower and leader impact.
Traditional Leadership Traditional leadership, or transactional leadership, models gained credibility through Burns (1978) book on leadership. The basic underlying principle of transactional leadership is the leader and the follower both gain something of value in a mutually beneficially relationship (Kuhnert & Lewis, 1987). Bass (1985) built on the
Katz and Miller (2014) identify some of these presumptions. For example, Katz and Miller write traditional models presume a leader knows what is best for an organization, thus drawing the conclusion a leader knows all. Also, the authors state traditional models promote leaders based on technical skill rather than relationship skills. Another facet of traditional leadership models is the belief leaders have the ability to identify the right solutions to organizational problems (Katz & Miller, 2014). And lastly, the traditional model of leadership builds on the belief a leader’s role is to support the existing organizational structure instead of attempting to promote change (Katz & Miller,