Chapter 8: Transformational Leadership 

Lauren Dodge  

Dr. Wood 

Leadership 1301 

2 october 2018 

Review Questions 

Chapter 8: Transformational Leadership 

  1. Describe what is implied by the term “transformational leadership.”

It is a process that changes and transforms people. Emotions, values, ethics, standards and goals. 

  1. What accounts for the popularity of this concept?

It is one of the current most popular approaches since the 1980s. It is a part of the “new leadership” paradigm that gives more attention to charismatic and affective elements of leadership. 

  1. Explain the differences between transactional and transformational leadership.

Transactional focuses on the exchanges between leaders and their followers whereas transformational is the process of engagement to build motivation and morality.   

  1. Define and describe pseudo transformational leadership from Bass’s (1998, 2006) perspective.

Leader who are self-consumed, exploitive, and power oriented with warped moral values. Very selfish way of leadership; only focuses on the leaders’ own interests rather than the leader focusing on others.  

  1. What did Christie, Barling and Turner (2011) contribute to our understanding of pseudo transformational leadership?

She contributed a preliminary model that discussed four components: idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration.  

  1. Discuss what other real-world leaders, past or present, could be considered transformational leaders.

Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Nelson Mandela, Aristotle, and many more.  

  1. Explain the personality characteristics and types of behaviors often associated with charismatic leaders.

Charismatic leaders act in a unique way that have charismatic effects on their followers. Being dominant, having a strong desire to influence others, being self confident and having a strong sense of ones own moral values.  

  1. According to research, how does using transformational leadership result in growth for the leader?

Leaders are able to tie followers and their self-concepts to them and their organizational identity.  

  1. Describe the view that leadership is on a continuum ranging from transformational to laissez-faire.

Transformational shows the results of an ideal leader—influences their followers, inspires them, intellectual, and considerate. Moving to transactional to laissez-faire, it becomes more about motivation through rewards and not actual a personal connection or care for followers.  

  1. Explain the seven factors incorporated in the Bass Model of Transformational and Transactional Leadership.

In his model, two components are shown: attributional and behavioral. He places transformational above the contingent reward which is said to be effective making transformational more than effective. 

  1. Describe the work of Bennis and Nanus and the work of Kouzes and Posner. What are the similarities in their research methods?

They surveyed 90 leaders to decide on four strategies for transformational leaders: Vision, social architects, trust, and creative development of self.  

  1. Explain the four leadership strategies identified by Bennis and Nanus.

Vision: The leaders must create an attractive, believable, and realistic future.  

Social Architect: leaders must create a shape or form for the shared meanings people maintained in their organization.  

Trust: leaders must make their positions clearly known and stand by them.  

Creative development of self: leaders must emphasize their strengths.  

  1. Explain Kouzes and Posner’s five practices that enable leaders to get extraordinary things accomplished.

Model the way, inspire a shared vision, challenge the process, enable others to act, and encourage the heart. One must make personal connections with all components of an organization for their followers to be motivated by the same.  

  1. What are strengths of transformational leadership theory?

-has been widely researched from different perspectives 

-intuitive appeal 

-treats leadership as a process 

-provides broader view of leadership 

-strong emphasis on followers needs 

-evidence of being effective 

  1. What are criticisms of transformational leadership theory?

-lacks conceptual clarity 

-was created for social and political contexts, not corporations  

-difficult to measure 

-treats leadership as a personality trait rather than behavior 

-no clear establishment of evidence 

-elitist and antidemocratic\ 

-heroic leadership bias 

-has potential to be abused 

  1. Why might the transformational leadership approach not be as effective with Millennials?

Millennials tend to be less selfless in pursuit of what may suit them and what they can accomplish rather than what the team can accomplish.

Leave a Reply