Transformational Change: Role of Leadership

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Introduction

Many journals today deliberate on issues of transformational leadership and how best leaders can improve their roles to achieve good performance at workplace. They offer access to vital information in quality leadership. For instance, these journals may largely address how efficient and effective leadership standards can be practiced both at individual and organizational level.

On the other hand, global competition for journal quality has put overwhelming pressure on editors. As a result, much effort is being put in place to produce credible information and materials of high quality. This essay will explore and critically analyze ten different peer reviewed journals that deliberate on transformational change as a core role and requirement in effective leadership practices.

Journal of Business Ethics

The article “Improving the ‘‘Leader–Follower’’ Relationship: The Ethical Leadership Trickle-Down Effect” (Ruiz, Ruiz & Martinez, 2011, pp.587-608) deliberates on the phenomenon of leadership. According to Ruiz, Ruiz, and Martinez (2011), effective leadership in organizations may not be a reality in the absence of ethics.

This article creates an understanding of leadership role, how it can positively or negatively impact organizational performance, employees and the business world at large. Furthermore, it illustrates the transformational role of leadership that can be attained through acceptable moral practices.

It is important to underscore the fact that ethics in leadership and well guided moral principles play critical role in enhancing performance of workers. On the same note, ethical leadership works best and is reflected in a scenario where a leader in a higher hierarchical level relates well with the subordinates (Ruiz, Ruiz, & Martínez, 2011).

Indeed, It is my belief that cordial relationship fosters confidence between workers and management of any organization. It is also an important ingredient in enhancing excellent performance. The article further explores and reviews findings from empirical studies on transformational leadership and the trickle-down effect.

Leadership roles in terms of morality and positive job outlook have also been explored in detail (Ruiz, Ruiz, & Martínez, 2011). The authorship also argues that positive action or response by a subordinate at workplace is a good indicator of effective leadership.

American Journal of Community Psychology

American Journal of Community Psychology has an article entitled “Building capability throughout a change effort: leading the transformation of a police agency to community policing” (Ford, 2007, pp. 321–334) that showcases ways in which effective leadership can transform a community. Realistically, the article explores how leadership in police agencies can impact positive changes especially in community policing (Ford, 2007).

By fact, it is imperative to note that embracing the concept of community policing and effective leadership may require a very clear understanding of both. Such a high level of understanding may not be achieved where transformational leadership is evidently absent.

The author is emphatic that proper community policing can achieve desired change when appropriate leadership style is consistently adopted and implemented (Ford, 2007). Similarly, these effective leadership roles will enhance capacity building by aligning and improving the established systems and structures of an organization in addition to supporting development skills.

In my own opinion, they will enhance commitment and involvement among various teams in creation new and acceptable norms that form organizational culture. The latter is attainable when leaders do away with controlled mindset and eliminate stringent commands (Ford, 2007). Agreeably, I feel that effecting transformational change in an organization does not only require preparation, it also demands patience to go over the various stages that are vital for capacity building among members of an organization.

Australasian Journal of Environmental Management

Australasian Journal of Environmental Management has an article “enabling change for corporate sustainability using an integrated approach” Benn, Dunphy & Griffiths, 2006, pp.156-167) that focuses on business strategies and human resource practices necessary to sustain the process of change in an organization (Benn, Dunphy & Griffiths, 2006).

Sincerely speaking, I believe that business and corporate sustainability greatly need some form of transformational change for growth to be realized. Hence, leaders have a role of uniting various approaches in a systematic way to bring about positive organizational change.

The authors describe agents of change that are vital in initiating dynamic corporate growth and development (Benn, Dunphy & Griffiths, 2006). These agents include community activists, consultants and managers. Sustainable transformational change can be achieved when leaders understand their roles and implement proper strategies at workplace (Benn, Dunphy & Griffiths, 2006).

Business and economics research journal

Business and economic research journal is peer reviewed. The article “empirical study of the relationship between transformational leadership, empowerment and organizational commitment” (Ismail et al., 2011, pp. 89-107) that explores issues on transformational leadership in an organizational structure.

Most importantly, the article highlights four salient features necessary in leadership and those leaders who desire to inject change and dynamism in their organizations. Some of the features highlighted and discussed in the article include influence on individualized behaviors, considerations that are individualized as well as intellectual stimulation (Ismail et al., 2011).

It is important to note that organizational commitment can be influenced when leaders adopt and properly implement some of the proposals put forward by Ismail et al. (2011). Additionally, it explains that empowerment is yet another important tool which leaders can use to expedite the attainment of transformational changes in organizations.

Research studies carried out in Malaysia by the authors of the article further support the concept of empowerment through findings that indicate that organizational commitment significantly and positively correlates with the relationship found between empowerment and transformational leadership (Ismail et al., 2011).

Indeed, I am of the opinion that to achieve transformational change, organizations need a mediating variable between commitment of an organization and leadership roles. In this respect, the mediating variable becomes empowerment, which has been confirmed statistically as a standard scale for effective transformational change in organizations.

Empowerment influences behavioral outcomes and positive attitudes that are vital in building positive moral values, trust, commitment, satisfaction, performance and competence (Ismail et al., 2011). Additionally, the journal article illustrates, elaborates and discusses implications of transformational change.

Journal of Management and Development

Journal of Management and Development in the article “increasing transformational leadership through enhancing self efficacy” (Fitzgerald & Schutte, 2010, pp. 495-505) explores how leaders can achieve a higher level of transformational change in an organization through self efficacy and designed intervention methods.

The article in the journal expounds the relative importance of emotions when it comes to leadership. The article is critical that transformational leaders need to be well endowed with emotional intelligence if they are to fully succeed as leaders who impart positively to those being led. Moreover, the relationship between transformational leadership and emotional intelligence has been explored in the article.

However, I hold the view that if emotional intelligence is to play such momentous role in leadership, then the concept of self-efficacy when designing various leadership structures in organizations cannot be ignored either. According to Fitzgerald and Schutte (2010), self efficacy in transformational leadership can be achieved when leaders embrace intervention approach whenever dealing with leadership and organizational matters of high complexity.

Findings from the study conducted on organizational managers indicated that response to interventions was quicker and efficient among managers who had high emotional intelligence (Fitzgerald & Schutte, 2010). Furthermore, the article offers approaches, methods and designs that leaders can use to implement transformational change in order to attain optimum organizational growth.

It demonstrates both possible and practical methods which are easy and of low cost that can be used by leaders in the contemporary corporate world to institute and facilitate the process of change in organizations (Fitzgerald & Schutte, 2010). I am strongly convinced that self efficacy is a vital component in effective leadership bearing in mind that the ability to gain control and manage an organization properly heavily relies on personal effectiveness as a leader.

As already mentioned, I believe that self efficacy may not work magic when emotional intelligence is not applied. According to the article, openness to change among leaders is facilitated by emotional intelligence (Fitzgerald & Schutte, 2010).

Public Administration Review

The article “transformational leadership and public service motivation in driving individual and organizational performance” (Paarlberg & Lavigna, 2010, pp.710-719) seeks to offer vivid explanation on leadership issues that significantly affect development of an organization. To begin with, underdevelopment in most organizational set ups has a direct correlation to ineffective leadership practices.

Realistically, employees tend to behave in certain patterns depending on how they are either directly or indirectly influenced by leadership style dominant in an organization. I strongly believe that one of the most viable ways of ensuring that the output of employees is impressive is by devising an organizational culture that is more consistent with the needs of employees.

Besides, the adopted culture ought to be dynamic enough so that diverse needs of both workers and clients are fully catered for. Sincerely speaking, this level of organizational leadership definitely demands transformational approach on managing affairs of an organization.

The authors argue that leaders should develop a culture of encouraging workers through motivations in order to achieve a change in attitude and better performance among workers. Pro-social motivations are important aspects that determine behavior and performance of workers (Paarlberg & Lavigna, 2010).

Indeed, transformational change in terms of performance is influenced by motivation. It is for this research studies today focuses on how performance can be influenced by motivation unlike the former studies that dwelt on what motivates workers.

In my own perspective, transformational leadership can achieve greater success when leaders will perform their role of motivating employees (Paarlberg & Lavigna, 2010). The article clarifies methods of harnessing motivational sills for leaders who wish to improve on their strategies, lift performance standards of an organization and enhance employee output.

Journal of Behavior and Applied Management

Sosik, Zhu and Blair (2011)in their article “felt authenticity and demonstrating transformational leadership in faith communities” (pp.179-201) explore leadership patterns portrayed by various Christian leaders. It critically examines 184 leaders and tries to find a link between leadership behaviors among top managers that cause transformational change.

The authors of this article carry out a research study to examine felt authenticity and highlight them as four leadership roles which include consideration by leaders to perform the roles of mentoring and coaching their followers individually, embracing the spirit of change and assuming the role of championing the course of transformational change through intellectual stimulation, being a role model in both behavior and ideas and following leadership vision, motivational role and inspiring workers (Sosik, Zhu & Blair, 2011).

Indeed, the aforementioned roles are vital and necessary for transformational leadership and for effective organizational changes. Therefore, findings from the study indicated that the roles mentioned inspired positive performance among workers and enhanced growth of individual abilities and skills in leadership (Sosik, Zhu & Blair, 2011).

In my personal understanding, leaders will be able to express their true self with authenticity in relation to their roles. According to this article, felt authenticity brings out characteristics of leaders and hence helps to analyze and indicate to leaders how they can lead their organizations best by expressing themselves honestly (Sosik, Zhu & Blair, 2011).

International Journal of Management

The influence of leadership on employees’ turnover has been analyzed in the journal article “The Effects of Empowerment and Transformational Leadership on Employee Intentions to Quit: A Study of Restaurant Workers in India” (Gill et al., 2011, pp.217-232). The authors express their displeasure at the inability of leaders to sustain workers in their organization.

Today, turnovers have increased in many organizations due to poor management skills and bad leader-follower relationship. The effect to bottom line service organizations is low performance, limited output, more problems and turnovers. The article seeks to identify reasons why individuals quit work, role of transformational leadership and its relationship with empowerment (Gill et al., 2011).

To achieve this, the authors carry out a study of worker in an Indian restaurant. It surveys leadership roles in the restaurant, its effects on workers, perceptions of workers, empowerment perceptions and workers expectations. Findings indicate that lack of proper relationship between leaders and workers affect performance (Gill et al., 2011).

Additionally, workers who quit do so due to lack of motivation and leaders fail in their roles of empowering workers. It is important to observe that employees in India lack self confidence and dignity. Lack of motivation and empowerment from leaders plays an important role of failing to sustain workers in organizations (Gill et al., 2011).

To confirm the authors’ concerns, I strongly agree that high labor costs, low productivity, low quality services to customers and other organizational performance problems can be attributed to poor leadership. According to the article, leaders who want to effect organizational change must solve organizational issues through empowerment and transformational leadership since retained, motivated and empowered employees will offer best services to customers and as such retain those customers to the business (Gill et al., 2011).

Strategy and leadership

Strategy and leadership journal in the article “reinventing management through practices that enable continuous innovation” (Denning, S. 2011, pp.16-24) deliberates on issues that ensure that organizations achieve better performance and continuous innovation.

The author of the article focuses on reinventing management and improving leadership practices by leaders in various organizations). Fundamental shifts necessary to achieve transformational leadership have been highlighted in this article. The shifts move from command to conversion, focus from a single to several or many shareholder values, simple controls and commands to dynamic linking, managers to enablers and change in perspective from outside-in to inside–out (Denning, S. 2011).

In my viewpoint, leaders who intend to foster changes in their organizations through their roles must change their management and communication modes to be efficient, must know how to value and to create value, properly coordinate managerial roles, and know when to be flexible and ready to make change (Denning, S. 2011).

The article further suggests that customers’ needs, engagement and delight should be given importance for reasons of customer retention. The author of this article takes a study on how to reinvent management practice, gives findings and implications that are important for transformational leadership today (Denning, S. 2011).

For instance, in practical implication, the author comes up with important steps in achieving transformational leadership such as working in short cycles, measuring work performance, making good decisions about work, directing supervising activities and seeking feedback from customers (Denning, S. 2011).

Leadership and Organization Development Journal

Leadership and Organization Development Journal has an article on “Reinventing program design Challenges in leading sustainable institutional Change” (Barnett & Shore, 2009, pp.16-37) that explores ways of achieving transformational change in an organization. The author indicates that proper actions, structure and strategies must be devised to correspond with the role of monitoring in leadership.

It takes a study of colleges in the US and suggests that institutional changes can be sustained through an effort by the faculty members who work in line with college programs (Barnett & Shore, 2009). Indeed, there is need to motivate faculty members in order to sustain a change.

According to the authors, structural and cultural changes can be achieved through proper planning and communication and quick action by faculty members, the principle and concerned bodies (Barnett & Shore, 2009). Additionally, the article highlights some hindrances to achieving transformational changes coming from political and cultural dynamics.

Conclusion

To sum up, the articles offer key ingredients necessary for leaders intending to inject transformational change both at personal and organizational level. It is imperative for leaders to devise, develop and nurture desired leadership skills and competences as well as quantify necessary strategies that can be used to bring about positive change for optimum performance in any organizational set up.

In a nutshell, it is also pertinent to note that vibrant leadership may not necessarily rely on transformational character as purported by some scholars. Hence, change in organizations may equally be brought about by other bases of power especially when well spiced with talent management.

References

Barnett C. K. & Shore B. 2009. Reinventing program design: Challenges in leading sustainable institutional change Web.

Benn,S., Dunphy,D. & Griffiths, A. 2006. Enabling change for corporate sustainability: an integrated perspective. Web.

Denning, S. 2011. Reinventing management: the practices that enable continuous innovation. Web.

Fitzgerald, S. & Schutte N. S. 2010. Increasing transformational leadership through enhancing self-efficacy. Web.

Ford, J. K. 2007. Building capability throughout a change effort: leading the transformation of a police agency to community policing. Web.

Gill, A. et al. 2011. The Effects of Empowerment and Transformational Leadership on Employee Intentions to Quit: A Study of Restaurant Workers in India. International Web.

Ismail, A. et al. 2011. An Empirical Study of the Relationship between Transformational Leadership, Empowerment and Organizational Commitment. Web.

Paarlberg, L., & Lavigna, B. 2010. Transformational Leadership and Public Service Motivation: Driving Individual and Organizational Performance. Web.

Ruiz, P., Ruiz, C. & Martinez, R. 2011. Improving the “Leader-Follower” Relationship: Top Manager or Supervisor? The Ethical Leadership Trickle-Down Effect on Follower Job Response. Web.

Sosik, J., Zhu, W. & Blair, A.. 2011. Felt Authenticity and Demonstrating Transformational Leadership in Faith Communities. Web.

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