Transformational Leadership

Vocabulary flashcards covering the core concepts, behavioral styles, and theoretical models of transformational, transactional, and pseudo-transformational leadership.

Transformational Leadership

A leadership process, initially formulated by Burns in 1978, in which the leader engages with others to create a connection that raises the level of motivation and morality in both the leader and the follower, inspiring commitment to a shared vision.

Full Range Leadership Model

A continuum that plots leadership styles across two dimensions—passive to active and ineffective to effective—spanning from laissez-faire through passive management-by-exception, active management-by-exception, contingent reward, and transformational leadership.

Laissez-Faire Leadership

A passive and ineffective style defined by the absence of action and decision-making, where the leader provides minimal direction and avoids involvement rather than empowering followers.

Transactional Leadership

An approach to leadership that relies on an exchange process involving rewards and punishments to achieve agreed-upon outcomes, comprising passive management-by-exception, active management-by-exception, and contingent reward.

Passive Management-by-Exception

A transactional leadership behavior where the leader does not monitor operations continuously and intervenes or takes corrective action only after serious problems or failures have already occurred.

Active Management-by-Exception

A transactional leadership behavior characterized by continuous oversight, where the leader actively tracks performance dashboards and enforces procedures to identify errors and correct them immediately.

Contingent Reward

A constructive transactional leadership behavior centered on an explicit if/then exchange process, where the leader establishes clear performance expectations and provides promised rewards upon goal attainment.

Power Effect of Transformational Leadership

A leadership dynamic demonstrating that while transactional leadership practices produce expected outcomes, the addition of the Four I's of transformational leadership augments follower performance to exceed expectations.

Idealized Influence

The transformational leadership dimension (often termed charisma) where the leader acts as an ethical role model with high moral standards, earning followers' trust, respect, and desire to emulate them, provide followers with a vision and sense of mission

Inspirational Motivation

The transformational leadership dimension wherein the leader articulates a compelling, optimistic vision of the future, communicates high expectations, and connects purpose and emotion to motivate commitment to a collective mission, behaviors foster an enthusiasm for and commitment to a shared vision of the future, communicates why they do what they’re doing, appeal to belief, not compliance

Intellectual Stimulation

The transformational leadership dimension that encourages followers to question the status quo, challenge prevailing assumptions, entertain diverse viewpoints, and view failures as opportunities for learning, behaviors challenge followers to be innovative and creative

Individualized Consideration

The transformational leadership dimension in which the leader acts as a coach or mentor, listening actively and attending to the individual developmental needs and personal strengths of each follower, behaviors help followers achieve their potential through mentoring

Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ)

A widely validated empirical instrument used in leadership research to measure transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership behaviors across organizations.

Pseudo-Transformational Leadership

A manipulative leadership style where leaders project vision and charisma to inspire collective action, but their underlying objectives are self-serving, deceptive, and devoid of moral and ethical integrity.

Grandiose Narcissism

A personality profile marked by feelings of superiority, entitlement, excessive risk-taking, low empathy, and hostile defensiveness when ego is challenged, often leading individuals to claim credit for successes while deflecting blame.

Transformational Leadership and Grandiose Narcissism Matrix

A two-by-two framework illustrating that high transformational leadership paired with high narcissism yields negative organizational effects, whereas high transformational leadership paired with low narcissism (professional will and humility) produces positive effects.

what are the two types of leadership

transformational, transactional

transformational leadership behaviors

inspires followers to commit to a shared vision that provides meaning to their work, establishes the leader as a role model who helps followers reach their potential, view problems from a new perspective

what are the five aspects of grandiose narcissism

graddiosity, excessively self confident and risk seeking, entitled, manipulative with low integrity, hostility and aggression

why are people drawn to narcissistic leaders

they project confidence, certainty, and charisma, especially during times of uncertainty