Criticisms and Arguments Against Transformational Leadership - Coursework Example

Criticisms and Arguments Against Transformational Leadership of Introduction: This paper seeks to identify the criticisms and arguments against transformational leadership and try to make comments and counter arguments after identifying the sources and clearly articulating the reasoning behind the criticisms. Afterwards, the paper will adopt a position for or against transformational leadership and the defend position with arguments. For the purpose of this paper, an illustration on how transformation leadership is needed in business organization is made part as proof of the value, relevance and applicability of the theory. 2. The criticisms and arguments against transformational leadership, the possible source and reasoning behind. 2.1. Transformational leadership can be used to abuse and manipulate the followers. It was observed that , transformational leaders who may happen to have narcissistic tendencies can apply a very powerful influence over followers, who may give them trust and respect (Stone, Russel and Patterson, 2003, p.4) as to manipulate the latter. Manipulating followers may actually be violating the latter’s very freedom as the act would amount to misleading them to choosing what is proper as free human beings. These followers may virtually submit their wills to their leaders. The possibility of this argument is due to the appeal to emotions which a key ingredient to practice transformational leadership. The source of the first criticism is the fact that there are allegedly people who were transformational leaders who led their people to destruction. Used as examples are the cases of Rev Jim Jones and Hitler. In the case of Jones, the leader caused massive Jonestown suicide after convincing his people of the value of his proposition no matter how evil it may be (Krans, B. 2007). Which could be more evil than taking one’s life by the instigation of a leader who is supposed to espouse and value life and on the greatest values on human being? The case of Hitler is too familiar to escape mentioning the same when it comes to leaders who could move their followers to attainment of objectives and goals of the group. Who could imagine that Hitler was able to have the command of his followers to exterminate millions of Jews as to offend the sensibility of human kind? Hitler and Himmler, his fanatical racist and ultimate bureaucrat what able to take control of anti-Jewish initiatives and Hitler was the ideological and political author of the Holocaust (Farmer, 2010). The reasoning behind the criticism is assumption that there is a tendency by the transformational leaders to take advantage of the emotions of the followers who may forget about the supremacy of reason because they have virtually submitted their beliefs and wills to their leader because of their complete trust. It may be observed that based on the argument not all transformational leaders have selfish tendencies and just like any possibilities that every human commits errors or has the tendency to commit error but does not make the person less human. 2.1.2 The morality of transformational leadership according libertarians and organizational development consultants is questionable (Griffith, 2004). Because of the appeal to emotions by leaders to their followers, it is believed that transformational leaders encourage their followers by appealing to strong emotions regardless. Since transformational leaders are goal or purpose directed because of their capacity to make vision/mission as rallying point of their followers, there is the feared ultimate effect on followers which may disregard or ignore positive moral values. The source of the criticism is coming from people who have studied organizational development changes and certain groups who have observed the lack of morality in the practice of theory of transformational leaders. The reasoning behind the criticism is assumption that there is almost the same as the first where there is tendency by the transformational leaders to take advantage of the emotions of the followers who may forget about the supremacy of reason because they have virtually submitted their beliefs and wills to their leader because of their complete trust. Since, it is feared that followers may end up manipulated by a transformational leader; the leader must be morally responsible if he is to be called an authentic one. 3. Counterarguments on Criticisms After identifying the sources and reasoning behind each criticism, it can be counter argued that the criticism failed to overcome the value and applicability of the true concept of the transformational leadership on the following grounds: 3.1 The criticism failed to offer a better alternative to the concept, applicability and relevance of transformational leadership with the need to effect changes in organizations. 3.2 Such failure to offer an alternative would amount to failing to overcome the advantages outweighing the advantages of transformational leadership. 3.3 The criticism failed to distinguish between authentic from unauthentic type of transformational leadership 3.4 The criticism disregarded the issue of moral responsibility which is material in asserting and defining what is authentic transformational leadership. 4. Adopted position on the issue This paper adopts the position transformational leadership is still needed, applicable and relevant to the need for changes in organizations. 4.1 Transformational leadership is still a valid and useful theory on leadership that is needed at this point in time. Just like a medicine which has side effects, transformational leadership may have it criticism, yet it is beneficial to make use of its benefits in looking for leaders that are needed to effect the necessary changes that come with the times. Being transformational is about effecting change when it is needed. People need to respond to the changing environment and hence the necessity for change must come with a transformational leader. A leader that is not responsive with change will really fail. Challenges for change could actually vary and the capacity to see the unity of purpose among different followers would lead to attaining the purpose. An organization is surrounded by stakeholders and for that organization to accomplish said purpose, there is need to understand and define the different interest of stakeholders. With different interests, there must be a commonality of interest which only the transactional leader may see with his or her bright eyes on the matter. How the leader would accomplish the same consist of the following dimensions, there are four of them and they are as follows. But before discussing the four dimensions, it is be best to bring out the possible stakeholders in an organization and their differing interest and how a transformational leader may be able to do the same. 4.2. The practice of transformational leadership would ensure attaining the purpose of organizations. From the context of organization, a leader must have a vision where to lead people. From the vision, it could explain its mission to the followers and it is these two that would lead people to action. Without a goal or vision, it is very hard to move people. How to bring followers to that vision is the work of a leader and as to which type of leader would accomplish more the same, it is the transformational rather the transaction that could attain the same easier. What distinguishes transformational from transactional and other leaders would therefore justify the need to have such kind of leaders if society would have to effect change. 4.3 An authentic transformational leadership is one that is adopted in this paper. An authentic transformational leadership considers the morality and therefore accountability for the results. Accountability means being answerable to the consequences of ones actions in business organization by virtue of the exercise of power given. Accountability includes personal or organizational types. Personal accountability implies preparedness to have responsibility for the consequences of a person’s actions (Lachman, 2009). The transformational leader and his managers of organizations need the same in order to be able to deliver results. They could do the same by first setting a measurable a target to investors that would amount to a promise or commitment and attached this economic objectives to something ideological like making sure the customers get value is making to save most because the company happens to offer good prices for its products. 4.4. Illustration of possible situation when a transformational leader is needed. A transformational leader would make good in business organization because of different interest of stakeholders that are essentially in conflict and finding the coming ground or rallying point and crafting them into vision/mission of the organization is the work of transformational leaders. And the leader would need to use information to make decision and this would come from the financial information which is contained in the financial statements in annual reports made available to various stakeholders. The transformational leader must be able to effectively communicate the financial information for a range of users primarily to stakeholders who would benefit from the use of the financial statements as they are the owners of the business. The users would generally include the shareholders, the management and creditors as first group and the second group includes the government, the community, the employees and the customers. This part focuses for the first group. Foremost of users are the stockholders who are the owners to the corporation. As owners, stockholders have invested their resources with the company and they expect compensation in terms of increased wealth as a result of making investment with the company. The most logical thing to happen is therefore to have increased wealth from their investments. Based on the financial statements, they would be interested in the measures of performance. The other interested parties of a business organization include the creditors who would want their take from the company to be taken care of. These creditors include the bondholders and banks that make the claims from the company owned by shareholders. For the leader of the organization normally personified by the Chairman or chief executive officer or CEO of the company, to deliver also the needs of creditors, the business must earn enough so that remaining money may satisfy also the owners. Managers hired by the directors include the officers, who must be compensated well to deliver the targeted financial objectives of the organization. All of these three will look at the financial information to guide them in meeting their personal and common interest under the leadership of an effective and transformational leader. Along with the stakeholders mentioned who are also users financial information are government, employees, the customers and the community members who must consider the provided information to be kept fair and balance . The government would of course be interested in the reported revenues in the income statement of the company since the same is usually the basis of business taxes imposed, the net income which is the basis of income taxes. In addition he overall viability of the business for the sustainability of the economy from an economic view point is important for regulation hence profitability and solvency ratios would need to be monitored. The employees would be interested in the level of profitability of the company on whether there is basis for additional benefits or salary in relation with competition as well as the stability of the company on whether they could stay with company as the company could take care of retirement in the future. The customers would be interested in the sustainability of the business to cause them to look at viability if the organization can continuously provide for their needs for products and services in the community. Note that above the financial objectives which are one of the rallying points of a business organization communicated by its leader or leaders is the need to make ideological statements for the organization. Such ideological statements may appear in the form of vision or mission of the organization which essentially talk of the purpose of the organization. Transformational leaders are needed in business organizations to accomplish the needed changes. Such was a kind in the case of Chrysler Corporation when Lee Iacocca its transformational leader, saved the organization when it about to close shop due to bankruptcy. Iacoca was able to transform the ideals of his closest subordinates, which caused the reshaping the corporation’s culture towards success (Kelly, 2003). 5. Conclusion. It is true indeed that for every theory there is counter argument. While criticism exists on the value, applicability and relevance of transformational leadership, such criticisms are not necessarily responsive and correct. On the principle that for every theory, there is a counter argument it does mean the counterargument may explain the defects or limitation of the criticisms which tries to make the theory wrong. The solution was not to obliterate the theory that transformational leadership is needed in effecting necessary changes in organizations but to fine-tune its definition to in order to put things in proper context and to make the theory applicable under given circumstances. What is moral is compelling as failure to follow the same could lead to serious consequences. What are needed are transformational leaders with moral responsibility. Although transformational leaders could bring the accomplishment of the purpose better compared to a transactional leader, the same cannot disregard the consequences, as there could either be good or evil consequences. Accomplishment of any purpose is not justifiable. So that defining what is moral and ethical purpose and accomplishing the same makes an authentic transformational leadership. References: Griffith, (2004). Relation of Principal transformational leadership to school staff job satisfaction, staff turnover, and school performance. Journal of Educational Administration, 42(3), pp.333-356 Farmer, A. (2010). Understand The Second World War: Teach Yourself (Google eBook). Hachette UK Kelly, M.L. (2003, January 1). Academic advisers as transformational leaders. The Mentor. Retrieved 21 March 2014, from http://www.psu.edu/dus/mentor/030101mk.htm Krans, B. (2007). A Constant Suicide: A Novel. A Constant Suicide Lachman (2009), Ethical challenges in health care: developing your moral compass, Springer Publishing Company Stone, A.G., Russell, R.F., & Patterson, K. (2003). Transformational versus servant leadership – a difference in leader focus. Servant Leadership Roundtable – October 2003. Retrieved 21 March 2014 from < http://colowebsite.regent.edu/acad/global/publications/sl_proceedings/2003/stone_transformation_versus.pdf > Read More