Running head: TRANSFORMATIONAL APPROACH TO LEADERSHIP

Transformational Approach to Leadership

Rogelio Nava Jr.
Concordia University Texas

TRANSFORMATIONAL APPROACH TO LEADERSHIP

Transformational Approach to Leadership

Peter Northouse author of Leadership Theory and Practice, describes the
transformational approach to leadership as being more follower-centered than other approaches.
He asserts that the role of the transformational leader is to elicit change and transformation in
people while concurrently leading them towards a common goal that is typically universally
beneficial. This approach to leadership assesses followers motives, is designed to satisfy their
needs, and treats them as human beings. The transformational leader inspires positive change in
his followers while at the same time exerting large amounts of influence that typically results in
followers becoming intrinsically motivated. This style of leadership causes followers to
accomplish more than they would under a leader practicing a different approach. The most
significant point Northouse makes about the transformational approach to leadership is that he
describes it as a process whereby a person engages with others and creates a connection that
raises the level of motivation and morality in both the leader and the follower, (p. 186). This
statement makes clear the humanistic approach that a transformational leader takes when leading
followers.
The first strength Northouse makes for the transformational approach to leadership
regards the plethora of data collected since the 1970s. The quality of the data is significant in
that it was collected from prominent leaders and CEOs of large, well-known organizations, this
further proves the effectiveness of the approach. A second strength is the intuitive appeal that the
transformational approach to leadership has. Northouse asserts that because transformational
leaders advocate positive change for all-this approach is inherently universally appealing as this
concept is consistent with societys popular notion of what leadership means (201). The author
touts the follower focus taken by the transformational approach as a third strength. This

TRANSFORMATIONAL APPROACH TO LEADERSHIP

approach positions followers as integral players and presents leadership as a process between
leaders and followers placing them on nearly equal footing. In this approach to leadership,
followers have more prominent positions as the onus for success and goal achievement does not
rest solely with the leader. A fourth strength is that this approach provides a different perspective
on leadership that is not limited to the exchange of rewards typical of other approaches. Rather,
this approach to leadership values leader attention to followers needs and growth. This
approach is not limited by the transactional nature most other approaches adhere to. This
follower-centric approach is concerned with their needs, values, and morals it is the job of the
transformational leader to push followers along a spectrum of human experience to become
better versions of themselves, shed selfishness and instead value the team, company, and
community. This approach to leadership introduces and has at its core a moral dimension of
personal development.
This approach is not without its criticisms though. The first states that conceptual clarity
is sacrificed due to the wide range of activities and characteristics encompassed by the approach.
This wide breadth causes confusion and makes it difficult to discern these qualities from one
another. A second criticism concerns the assessment used to measure transformational
leadership. Critics maintain that the four factors of transformational leadership are so similar
that it makes it impossible to attain clean data from which to draw appropriate conclusions.
Another criticism exists in the same vein in that research data has not been able to definitely
prove that transformational leaders affect true change in followers or organizations. A final
critique purports that transformational leadership has the ability to abuse power. Critics feel that
these charismatic and convincing leaders may not necessarily be the best authority to determine
the direction or goals their followers should take or work towards.

TRANSFORMATIONAL APPROACH TO LEADERSHIP

Works Cited
Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and practice (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks: SAGE.