Theories Of Transformational Leadership

Transformational leaders inspire their people or followers to achieve unexpected or remarkable results. Transformational leaders accomplish this by drawing their people’s attention and concentration to align their values with the values of the authority or organization. A transformational leader can motivate their followers through empowerment, job satisfaction, commitment, trust, self-efficacy beliefs, and motivation, which can also align followers to positively impact the organization.

Often Transformational leaders are called the quiet leader because they are the ones that lead by example. Inspiration is given by their own characteristics and their leadership style of rapport, inspiration, empathy, encouragement, support, courage, confidence,

James McGregor Burns first introduced the concept, which later developed into the Transformational theory, in his 1978 book Leadership. James M. Burns was an American historian and political scientist, presidential biographer, as well as an authority on leadership studies. The book Leadership is a study of study of the political, social, and psychological dimensions of leadership. In Burns book, he uses two concepts: "transforming leadership" and "transactional leadership". Burns describes transactional leadership as an, "purpose of an exchange of valued things." Such as political bargain of jobs for votes. Versus transforming leadership has a moral dimension. Which occurs when "leaders and followers raise one another to higher levels of motivation and morality" (1978).

For nearly the course of four decades’ others that were inspired by Burns’ research also decided to research the Transformational leadership theory. Other such researcher are B. M. Bass Leadership and Performance Beyond Expectation (1985), W. G. Bennis and B. Nanus Leaders: The Strategies for Taking Charge (1985), and J. Kouzes and B. Posner Overcoming the Dark Side of Leadership: The Paradox of Personal Dysfunction

It is also known as the “4I model” because each of the elements start with an I.

Idealized Influence or Charisma Influence

This is the degree to which the leader acts as a role model and behaves in admirable ways that will cause followers to emulate their leader’s behavior. A charismatic leader’s followers are attracted to the leader’s emotional level, display convictions, and ability to take stands. To build this genuine moral and ethical trust is necessary between leaders and followers. Providing respect and individual contribution followers will development motivation for their tasks.

Inspirational Motivation

The degree to which the leader communicates the vision that will appeal, inspire, with a motivational challenge to the followers. The Leaders challenges followers with high standards, communicate optimism about future goals, development of a preferred vision for the future, communicating clear expectations, and by demonstrating a clear commitment to the shared goals and vision of the group or team. Followers need to have a strong sense of purpose and are motivated to