and developing culture. Management and Written by Cailin McEntee.
leadership are terms often used quite
Over the past few decades, the escalating
interchangeably in their meaning and
standards
application,
and
constantly
changing
but
definition,
demographics of business have placed a
characteristics
new
of
management and leadership are two
organisations. There is a high demand for
separate functions requiring two different
people who have the capabilities and the
skill sets. Transformational leadership is
aptitude to keep up with such a dynamic
the most effective and inspiring type of
demand
on
the
leaders
and
by in
practise;
leadership. Transformational leaders are
allegiance may not actually change the
distinctive for leading the change in the
organisation. Some research suggests that
organisation’s strategies and culture so that
charismatic leadership alone produces
they have a better fit with the surrounding
dependency
environment. They are change agents who
transformational
energise and direct employees to a new
individual empowerment and improve the
vision
self efficacy of employees.
by
modelling
corresponding
on
the
leader,
leaders
whereas encourage
behaviours. Too often, leaders are too
Elements of Transformational
focused on the everyday responsibilities of
Leadership
managing their employees and can lose
There
touch with this transformational aspect;
transformational
this
include the following four key elements;
can
lead
to
stagnation
and
a
misalignment with the marketplace.
are
several
models
leadership
but
of most
create a strategic vision, communicate the vision, model the vision and build a
Transformational vs. Charismatic
commitment towards the vision.
Leadership It is often thought that leaders must be
Create a Strategic Vision
charismatic, influential and motivational to
Transformational
be
realistic and attractive vision of the
effective.
While
personality
or
over employees, it is the transformational
employees. It creates a higher purpose that
leadership that is the set of behaviours that
energises and unifies employees; it is a
people use to lead the change process.
shared vision that may have originated
Some
with the leader but most likely emerged
might
be
transformational leaders as their charisma
from
the
can be a tool to change behaviours, but this
stakeholders.
employees,
engages
a
company’s
leaders
that
establish
relational traits provides the referent power
charismatic
future
leaders
clients
with
or
Communicate the Vision
involving the employees themselves in this
Transformational leaders communicate the
process you will see how the vision will be
meaning the importance of the visionary
transformed from a vision to reality.
goal by framing the message with grand purpose
and
captivates
emotional employees
appeal and
that other
References Reynolds, Gregory J. and, Walter H. Warfield. 2010.
“Discerning
the
Differences
Between
Managers and Leaders.” The Education Digest 75
stakeholders.
They
use
symbols, (7):61-64.
metaphors and stories that transcend plain
McShane, Steven, Mara Olekalns, and Tony
language to give the vision a richer
Travaglione. 2013. Organisational Behaviour:
meaning.
Emerging Knowledge. Global Insights. McGraw Hill: New South Wales.
Model the Vision It’s the oldest saying in the book, you can ‘talk the talk’, but if you can’t ‘talk the walk’
no
one
is
going
to
listen.
Transformational leaders enact the vision through
their
actions
for
example,
throwing out outdated policies or holding events to signify the transition, these legitimise and demonstrate what the vision looks like in practice. It also helps to build trust; employees want to believe what is said by management. Build Commitment towards the Vision By following through all of these steps, having a contagious enthusiasm and