This paper examines transformational and authentic leadership frameworks and their distinctions, arguing that while transformational leadership may rely on innate traits, authentic leadership is developed over time through experience and education. Through a telephonic interview with a U.S. Army deputy chief of staff with 20 years of service, the paper demonstrates how authentic leadership principles—particularly listening, learning from experienced personnel, and taking decisive action—are acquired and applied in military contexts. The research concludes that effective military leadership depends less on natural-born ability and more on sustained professional development, mentorship, and reflective practice across a career.
While the debate over nature versus nurture continues, some people appear to be naturally born to assume leadership positions, while others must constantly struggle to become and remain effective leaders. Moreover, some types of leadership have been shown to be more effective in certain circumstances than others, with transformational leadership being needed in some situations while authentic leadership is required in others. This paper provides an overview of transformational and authentic leadership and examines the relationship between them through a case study of a U.S. Army officer with 20 years of service experience.
By definition, transformational leadership "transforms" people and organizations in meaningful ways. According to transformational leadership theory, Northouse (2013) reports that "Transformational leadership involves an exceptional form of influence that moves followers to accomplish more than is usually expected of them. It is a process that often incorporates charismatic and visionary leadership" (p. 57). Because charisma and vision are regarded as important elements of transformational leadership, it is clear that there is a certain "nature" element involved in this leadership style, and it is reasonable to suggest that some people are born with these types of attributes.
By contrast, some authorities argue that authentic leadership is also an effective approach to leadership that can be learned. For instance, Northouse (2013) notes that "Authentic leadership is something that can be nurtured in a leader, rather than as a fixed trait. Authentic leadership develops in people over a lifetime and can be triggered by major life events such as a severe illness or a new career" (p. 254). This observation is highly congruent with the guidance provided by Avolio (2005), which states that "Authentic leadership development takes into account that life and trigger events shape leadership development" (p. 194).
Although both transformational and authentic leadership involve close interactions with followers in ways that can affect leaders and followers, the fundamental difference between them concerns the source of leadership attributes. Transformational leadership relies on innate qualities, while authentic leadership is acquired over time through experience, education, and reflection (Northouse, 2013). One military leader who has acquired his leadership skills over time is Colonel [Student], deputy chief of staff at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
Colonel [Student] is a 44-year-old deputy chief of staff for Fort Sill, Oklahoma. In 1993, he graduated from [University] in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with a master's degree in organizational leadership. His selection for this case study was based on his demonstrated track record of successful leadership in the U.S. Army, which spans two decades of progressive responsibility, multiple operational theaters, and consistent promotion through increasingly senior ranks.
Following his graduation from [University], Colonel [Student] was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army in the Adjutant General Corps and was assigned to a training station at Fort Dix, New Jersey, where he spent three years and was promoted to first lieutenant. In 1997, he was transferred to the 2nd Infantry Division in South Korea, where he spent 13 months as executive officer for an artillery brigade and received a promotion to captain.
His next assignment, from 1999 to 2002, was as a battalion adjutant general at the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where he was promoted to field officer-level as a major. In late 2002, Major [Student] took part in Operation Enduring Freedom in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, serving first as a brigade adjutant general and then as a division adjutant general. Upon his return to the United States, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and assigned as a deputy chief of staff for a major U.S. Army training center. Taken together, Colonel [Student] has a 20-year military career characterized by progressive advancement and authentic leadership as demonstrated through the results of a telephonic interview presented below.
"Seven interview questions reveal how leadership was learned and applied"
The research showed that authentic leadership is typically acquired over time, while transformational leaders frequently possess the innate traits needed to successfully lead others toward a common goal. The research also demonstrated that when Colonel [Student] was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, he did not possess any special leadership attributes that could qualify him as a "natural-born leader." However, he did acquire these attributes over time as his experience and education provided him with the background to become an effective leader.
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