Transformational vs. Authentic Leadership: A Military Case Study
This paper examines transformational and authentic leadership as complementary frameworks, drawing on Northouse (2013) and Avolio (2005) to distinguish between innate and acquired leadership qualities. Using a U.S. Army deputy chief of staff as a case study, the paper traces his twenty-year military career — from commissioning as a second lieutenant through deployments in Operation Enduring Freedom — to illustrate how authentic leadership develops through experience, education, and response to real-world challenges. A telephonic interview surfaces practical insights on listening, mission engagement, overcoming personnel shortages, and continuous professional development, with the author reflecting on how these lessons will inform their own leadership practice.
- Introduction: Nature vs. nurture framing for leadership study
- Overview of Transformational and Authentic Leadership: Contrasting innate and acquired leadership frameworks
- Identification of a Successful Leader: U.S. Army deputy chief of staff as case subject
- Rationale for Leader Selection: Career history supporting the leader's selection
- Interview Results: Q&A covering training, obstacles, and lessons learned
- Conclusion: Synthesis of theory, interview, and personal application
✍️ How to write this paper — guide, tools & examples ▾
What makes this paper effective
- Grounds its theoretical comparison in two well-established scholarly sources (Northouse and Avolio), allowing the argument to move efficiently from definition to application.
- Uses a real interview with a practicing military officer to connect abstract leadership theory to lived professional experience, giving the paper concrete evidentiary weight.
- Structures the subject's career chronologically, making the development of authentic leadership visible as a cumulative, experience-driven process rather than an abstract claim.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates effective theory-to-practice bridging: it opens by defining two competing leadership frameworks, then uses primary interview data to test which framework best describes the subject's actual development. This moves the analysis beyond mere summary and toward applied evaluation, a hallmark of competent undergraduate-level leadership writing.
Structure breakdown
The paper follows a clear five-part arc: (1) an introduction establishing the nature-vs.-nurture framing; (2) a theoretical overview contrasting transformational and authentic leadership; (3) identification and biographical background of the selected leader; (4) a structured interview presented in Q&A format covering training, obstacles, and lessons learned; and (5) a conclusion synthesizing theory and interview findings and reflecting on personal application.
Introduction
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. To determine the facts, this paper provides an overview of transformational and authentic leadership and a discussion of the relationship between them. The identification and description of a current successful leader in the U.S. Army, along with the rationale in support of his selection, is followed by the results of a telephonic interview with this leader. Finally, a summary of the research and a discussion of how the results of the personal interview will be implemented in the author's personal leadership practices are provided in the conclusion.
Overview of Transformational and Authentic Leadership
By definition, transformational leadership "transforms" people and organizations in meaningful ways. In this regard, 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 sharp contrast, some authorities argue that authentic leadership is also an effective approach 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) 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 both leaders and followers, the fundamental difference between the two concerns the source of leadership attributes — with the former being largely innate and the latter being acquired over time (Northouse, 2013).
Identification of a Successful Leader
The leader selected for this study is a 44-year-old deputy chief of staff at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He graduated from a university in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1993 with a master's degree in organizational leadership. His selection was based on his demonstrated track record of successful leadership in the U.S. Army, as described further below.
Conclusion
The research showed that authentic leadership is typically acquired over time while transformational leaders frequently possess the innate traits needed to successfully lead others to a common goal. The research also showed that when the subject 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," but he did acquire these attributes over time as his experience and education provided him with the background to become an effective leader. An important point he made in this regard was the need to listen and learn from others, while still taking decisive action when the situation demands it.
References
Avolio, B. J. (2005). Leadership development in balance: Made/born. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and practice (6th ed.). New York: Sage Publications, Inc.
Create your account
Always verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.