Both of these positive leadership styles share a number of similarities. Transformational and servant leaders are motivational and trustworthy individuals, positive role models, considerate towards other people, and good communicators and listeners. On the other hand, transformational leaders are more organizational based; that is, they stress the goals and objectives of the organization. Servant leaders instead place more of their focus on the people in the organization or their followers. The distinction is not a clear cut one, but consists of gray areas.
As the world of business becomes increasingly complex, with faster changes and greater competition, organizations will need powerful leaders as these. Both transformational and servant leaders can quickly react to change, encourage others to embrace it, and also bring about change on their own. Some times it will be easier to adjust to change through organizational adaptations and other times through a more person-focused effort. In a large number of situations, it will take both of these leaders working together.
It has only been in the past few years that researchers have begun to look at servant leadership as its own entity as well as how it relates to other forms of leadership such as the transformation model. Recent studies, such as one conducted by Smith, Montagno and Kuzmenko (2004), for example, find that transformational leadership "is more suitable for a dynamic external environment, where employees are empowered with greater responsibility and encouraged to innovate, take initiative and risk" (p. 91). The authors argue...
However, organizations that are more static and growing from within may be more open or favorable toward servant leaders who work more closely with human change rather than organizational.
It appears that these two leadership styles are complementary and highly related, although best used in different situations. In some cases, it will be best to further the organization. At other times it will be better to help the individuals first, and these people will then lead the organization toward success. Additional studies need to be conducted in order to determine when each of these, or both together, will provide greater success for the company.
References
Peterson, R., Martorana, P, Smith, D. And Owens, P.(1998). The Impact of Chief Executive Officer Personality on Top Management Team Dynamics: One Mechanism by Which Leadership Affects Organizational Performance. Journal of Applied Psychology 88(5), 795-808.
Smith, B., Montagno, R., and Kuzmenko, T. (2004). Transformational and servant leadership: content and contextual comparisons. Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies 10(4), 80-92.
Yeon Lee, S., Recchia, S.L., and Sun Shin, M. (2005) Not the same kind of leaders: four young children's unique ways of influencing others. Journal of Research in Childhood Education 20(2), 132-149
