Transformational leadership as superior to trait and behavioral approaches

¶ … trait and behavioral approaches to leadership turn out to be of only limited usefulness? How much more successful are current views about what makes a good leader? The researcher proves that transformational leadership is the best model of leadership if one's goals include success, because it empowers subordinates and followers so that objectives and goals are more often met.

The trait and behavioral approaches to leadership failed to prove useful for multiple reasons including their lack of understanding or acknowledgement of the dynamic rather than static status in which a leader must operate (Fiedler, 1964. p. 150). This paper will explain why these forms of leadership proved marginally useful, and then address whether current views about what makes a good leader are valid.

To understand leadership one must first distinguish between leaders and managers (Zaleznick, 1977. p. 67). A leader in my opinion based on evidence collected from the literature is an individual that is dynamic in nature; someone that has vision and charisma and a knack for empowering others to achieve their best. Managers are individuals that understand the strategic objective of leaders and assist with the "carrying out" of tasks that must take place to allow for a leader's objectives or goals to be realized. Managers may have many of the same traits or characteristics of leaders, and may adopt many of the behaviors leaders have, but they are clearly different. Managers are more easily identified as belonging to early leadership theories supporting the trait and behavioral approaches to leadership. Early leadership and human behavioral experts suggested that leadership was something that was born with; it was a function of one's personality, or their traits (Wilber, 1998, p. 22). Some define traits as skills as well, suggesting traits may be something an individual can learn. Once experts realized that leadership evolved from other avenues and not simple traits, they began focusing on other reasons for leadership successes. One theory, the behavioral theory, suggested a good leader or successful leader was one that had the ability to create strong relationships with employees (Wilber, 1998, p. 18). A good leader would be able to propose something to employees and if the employees reacted in a positive way from a behavioral perspective, then the leader was successful or considered successful by others. Boulding (1956; 1985) comments on the behavioral theories of leadership, noting many people hide behind a facade or "fake" image to portray the traits or behaviors people want to see or expect to see in a leader (p. 54). Boulding suggested

There are many reasons the trait and behavioral approaches to leadership did not succeed. While the ideas and concepts behind them seem strong, these approaches were singular in nature. They suggest that a single concept, trait or behavioral style resulted in successful leadership. Little empirical data however suggests that leaders using either the trait-based or behavioral-based modal succeed. For example, one of the traits one my associate with successful leaders is good decision making skills or problem solving. There are many individuals that are great thinkers, capable of solving multitudinous problems. However, there is ample evidence suggesting people with great problem solving skills would not make great leaders. Someone may be good at problem solving but lack basic skills related to humanistic leadership (Barker, 2001), meaning they are not able to listen to employees' needs, wants and desires and figure out what it takes to empower employees in the workplace to become more self-motivated and therefore successful. Human relations are important skills for the leader to master (Barker, 2001) but not the only skills required for success among leaders.

Behavioral models are also too narrow in their approach toward leadership. Behavioral models suggest someone with a talent for idea creation may be an ideal match for a leadership role. While it is true strategic planning and idea creation are important behaviors that can lead to success, they are not features than guarantee good leadership or success in management roles.

Contemporary Perspectives

Contemporary experts now believe in transformational leadership, which translates into a leader with charisma, a leader with vision, and a leader with the ability to engage subordinates so that they realize how beneficial they can be to the organization as a whole. Transformational leader's help employees realize it is important to sometimes walk away from self-interest so that one can be a positive role model. J.M. Burns (1987, pp. 41-43) describes transformational leadership as growth of a leader that results on higher "motivation and morality" because as a leader works to elevate their status so too do the subordinates that follow the leader. This suggests that leaders encourage their followers to become more empowered and thus successful. The ability to empower others is something many consider "visionary" a sentiment that I agree with, as all visionaries maintain not only the ability to lead but also the ability to create a vision, mission and strategic plan that will lead all others that follow to a successful status (Handy, 1998, p. 118). Handy goes on to suggest the transformational leader is one that creates challenge for individuals that crave challenge, and thus the ability to create something worthy of note or memorable during a lifetime (p. 119). Harter (2004) also notes the transformational leader is something that can elicit change successfully by tapping into an individual's or group's spirituality (p. 31).

Conclusions

Early leadership theory suggested leaders were or were not successful largely based on certain traits they possessed or certain behaviors they demonstrated. Early theories suggested that most people were "born" leaders or furthered their education to adopt the traits they would need to succeed as leaders in society. Modern approaches to leadership however correctly note that leaders are successful when they embrace changes and demonstrate a wide selection of traits and behaviors. A leader may have to behave in different ways and may have to adopt or embrace different skill sets that coincide with diverse organizations or the diverse populations, cultures and people they plan to work with. What makes a leader successful is their ability to embrace multiple tactics, skills and behaviors and work with subordinates and followers in a way that empowers their followers or subordinates. This type of situation is more a win-win situation where the leader, subordinate and follower all benefit. There are however, logical and illogical aspects of the contemporary leader. This however, is not something that one should perceive as negative. Gerzon (2003) quotes James Macgregor Burns, noting leadership is above all else, something that is among "the most observed and least understood phenomenon on earth" (Burns, p.2). Part of the problems leaders have to day coincide with the lack of "common language" among leaders (Gerzon, 2003; Lederach, 2001; Kellerman, 1999).