TRANSFORMATIONAL

LEADERSHIP
Transformational leadership focuses on increasing employee motivation
and engagement and attempts to link employees’ sense of self with
organizational values. This leadership style emphasizes leading by
example, so followers can identify with the leader’s vision and values. A
transformational approach focuses on individual strengths and
weaknesses of employees and on enhancing their capabilities and their
commitment to organizational goals, often by seeking their buy-in for
decisions.
■ Transformational leaders
challenge followers with an
attractive vision and tie that
vision to a strategy for its
achievement. They engage and
motivate followers to identify
with the organization ‘s goals
and values.
 ■ American historian, first
introduced the concept of
“transforming leadership”
which defines that leaders
and followers engaged
each other.
■ Two-way interaction
between leader and
follower.

James MacGregor Burns

■ Developed Burn’s concept
of “transforming leadership”
into “transformational
leadership” wherein the
leader transforms the
followers.
■ Considers the direction of
the influence as one-way.
Bass defines transformational leaders as individuals who are able
to perform the following:

1. Expand a follower’s portfolio of needs

2. Transform a follower’s self-interest
3. Increase the confidence of followers
4. Elevate folower’s expectations
5. Heighten the value of the leader’s intended outcomes for the follower
6. Encourage behavioral change
7. Motive others to higher levels of personal achievement (Maslow’s self-actualization)
Inspirational Motivation
■ Leaders with an inspiring vision challenge followers to leave
their comfort zones, communicate optimism about future goals,
and provide meaning for the task at hand. Purpose and
meaning provide the energy that drives a group forward. The
visionary aspects of leadership are supported by
communication skills that make the vision understandable,
precise, powerful, and engaging. Followers are willing to
invest more effort in their tasks; they are encouraged and
optimistic about the future and believe in their abilities.
Intellectual Stimulation
■ Transformational leaders act as role models for their
followers. Transformational leaders must embody the
values that the followers should be learning and
internalizing. The foundation of transformational
leadership is the promotion of consistent vision and
values. Transformational leaders guide followers by
providing them with a sense of meaning and
challenge. 
Individualized
Consideration
■ Individualized consideration is the degree to
which the leader attends to each follower’s
needs, acts as a mentor or coach to the follower,
and listens to the follower’s concerns. 
Idealized Attributes
■ Transformational leaders act as role models for their
followers. Transformational leaders must embody the
values that the followers should be learning and
internalizing. The foundation of transformational
leadership is the promotion of consistent vision and
values. Transformational leaders guide followers by
providing them with a sense of meaning and
challenge.