What is Transformational Leadership (Part II)
II. Images of Leadership in the Future
A project was conducted by Wharton director Anne M. Greenhalg and associate director Christopher I. Maxwell to understand the how the future business leaders describe the essence of leadership. From 2002 to 2003 the researchers asked freshmen taking Management 100 to choose or design an image of a leader and explained their choice or image. Surprisingly, transformational leadership is predominant in both the male and female students. According to the researchers, men and women do not have different leadership styles as previously thought. The same is found in different race and social background. Generally, the students believe that leadership is best exemplified by some of the students’ common example, William Wallace from the movie Braveheart. Wallace as a leader inspired an entire army to sacrifice their lives for freedom and leaving the world a better place. According to Greehalg, this is “at the heart of transformational leadership. This is very different from transactional leadership, which is basically, ‘Give me something in exchange’” (Gandhi 2006). The researchers concluded that “The challenge for the future is how to make both male and female transformational images of leadership a reality as emerging leaders enter the workforce” (Gandhi 2006).
Similarly, in a study conducted as parts of the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavioral Effectiveness (GLOBE) Research program, 60 cultures were tested as to transformational leadership is universally endorsed. The result of the study showed that transformational leadership is very strong and is universally endorsed across the 60 cultures (Den Hartog et al 1999).
A project was conducted by Wharton director Anne M. Greenhalg and associate director Christopher I. Maxwell to understand the how the future business leaders describe the essence of leadership. From 2002 to 2003 the researchers asked freshmen taking Management 100 to choose or design an image of a leader and explained their choice or image. Surprisingly, transformational leadership is predominant in both the male and female students. According to the researchers, men and women do not have different leadership styles as previously thought. The same is found in different race and social background. Generally, the students believe that leadership is best exemplified by some of the students’ common example, William Wallace from the movie Braveheart. Wallace as a leader inspired an entire army to sacrifice their lives for freedom and leaving the world a better place. According to Greehalg, this is “at the heart of transformational leadership. This is very different from transactional leadership, which is basically, ‘Give me something in exchange’” (Gandhi 2006). The researchers concluded that “The challenge for the future is how to make both male and female transformational images of leadership a reality as emerging leaders enter the workforce” (Gandhi 2006).
Similarly, in a study conducted as parts of the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavioral Effectiveness (GLOBE) Research program, 60 cultures were tested as to transformational leadership is universally endorsed. The result of the study showed that transformational leadership is very strong and is universally endorsed across the 60 cultures (Den Hartog et al 1999).
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