Transformational Leadership: Understanding the

Knowledge and Applying the Concepts

West Virginia 21st Century Leadership Institute

November, 2009Jerry Valentine

Our Process Today

Background perspective: Transactional and Transformational Leadership Small group activity: Famous Personalities (Transactional or Transformational)Current perspective: Transformational Leadership Functions and Practices

James McGregor Burns

Leadership (1978) seminal book conceptualized transformational leadershipExplains and contrasts leadership as– “transactional”or – “transformational”

Burns: Transactional Leadership

is initiated solely by the formal leaderis based upon the exchange of valued goods between the leader and followersis based on tangible (money, resources) or intangible (time, recognition, praise, etc.) goodsis not based on an enduring relationship; therefore both parties go their separate waysis based on a shrewd eye for opportunity, a good hand at bargaining, persuading, and reciprocatinguses extrinsic motivation

Burns: Transformational Leadership

is initiated by the leaderis based on mutual reciprocal relationshipelevates both leader and followers to higher levels of motivation and moralitypromotes high levels of conduct and ethical aspirationsuses intrinsic motivation

Burns: Transactional and Transformational Leadership Compared

Transactional…– is based upon the fulfillment of lower-order needs, such as

psychological well-being and safety– is based upon model of punishment, deference to authority,

conformity, and social convention

Transformational…– is based upon the fulfillment of higher-order needs, such as self-

esteem, self-actualization– is based upon a model of principled morality– is grounded in the needs and values of both leaders and followers– provides opportunity over time so followers have the potential to be

changed (transformed) into leaders themselves– is a mechanism for the authentic empowerment of followers

Scenario A Principal: Janie Jones

In the spring the new principal must address, for the first time, the assignment of teachers to specific classes and/or grade levels for the coming year. Principal Jones studies the course (or grade level) assignments for a couple of weeks and then posts them on the schedule board in the faculty lounge. She then calls each teacher into her office for a private conversation with the intent to convince the teacher that her respective assignment is the best for the school. For the few teachers who complain, Principal Jones offers incentives (e.g. released time) to convince the teacher that the assignment is appropriate.

Scenario BPrincipal: Tom Thomas

Principal Thomas really wants to improve the school’s mathematics achievement scores on the state test. He calls a special faculty meeting in September to discuss his vision for the math program.Principal Thomas shares with the faculty a PPT presentation describing in detail the school math achievement data and explaining why the math program must change.When he asks for teacher volunteers from all content (or grade levels) to serve on a task-force to design a plan to reach the vision, no teachers volunteer.Principal Thomas decides on the spot that the only way to move forward is to assign the task-force members, so he indicates that he will make those assignments next Monday if he does not have six volunteers between today and Monday.Principal Thomas concludes the meeting by saying that he believes those who step up and serve will truly become key leaders in the school over the next two or three years because of the impact they will make on the school’s achievement scores.

Bernard Bass: Transformational Leadership (1980s/1990s)

Proposed a four-factor definition of TL:– Idealized Influence (serves as a role model)– Inspirational Motivation (provides meaning

and challenge to followers; vision/goals)– Intellectual Stimulation (solicits and

encourages ideas, challenges assumptions)– Individualized Consideration (coaches and

mentors followers; personnel growth and development)

Leithwood’s 1996 Six Factor Model of Transformational Leadership

Provides VisionModels BehaviorFosters CommitmentProvides Individual SupportProvides Intellectual StimulationHolds High Performance Expectations

Leithwood’s 2006 Model of Leadership

Four Primary functions of Leadership– Setting Direction– Developing People– Redesigning the Organization– Managing the Instructional (Teaching/Learning)

Program

Setting Direction

The transformational leader’s critical practices:– Building a shared vision (Provides Vision)– Fostering the acceptance of group goals

(Fosters Commitment)– Conveying high performance expectations

(Holds High Expectations)

(Leithwood et al., 2006) (Original 6 factors in yellow)

Developing People

The transformational leader’s critical practices:– Providing individualized support/consideration

(Provides Individualized Support)– Providing intellectual stimulation (Provides Intellectual

Stimulation)– Providing an appropriate model (Models Behavior)

(Leithwood et al., 2006) (Original 6 factors in yellow)

Redesigning the Organization

The transformational leader’s critical practices:– Building collaborative cultures– Restructuring the school’s management structures– Building productive relationships with families and

communities– Connecting the school to its wider environment.

(Leithwood et al., 2006)

Managing the Instructional (Teaching and Learning) Programs

The transformational leader’s critical practices:– Staffing the programs– Providing instructional (teaching and learning)

support– Managing school activity– Buffering staff from distractions to their work

(Leithwood et al., 2006)

Scenario C: Principal Carrie CarePrincipal Care recently learned about the importance of school culture at the state’s leadership institute and led a discussion with her faculty about what a caring, collaborative culture looks like in a highly successful school and provided a reading and encouraged her teachers to read and discuss the reading in their professional groups.She obtained permission to use a culture instrument and asked teachers to complete the 36-item survey and return their responses to the school secretary by the end of the week.32 of the 56 teachers returned completed surveys by Friday afternoon.

Scenario C: Principal Carrie CareOver the weekend, Principal Care sent an email to all teachers. She indicated that she did not know who had or had not responded since the survey was anonymous, but reiterated the importance of the faculty’s upcoming analysis of the school’s culture and encouraged those who might not have responded to take time to respond before next Wednesday’s faculty meeting discussion.By the Tuesday afternoon, 52 of 56 teachers had responded. She computed the results Tuesday night.Principal Care opened the faculty discussion on Wednesday by thanking those who took time to respond and expressing understanding for those who did not because she knew everyone on the staff was busy and feeling overworked. She divided the faculty into small groups of 5-6 teachers, distributed the survey results, and asked the faculty to discuss what they learned from the data that informed their school improvement plan for next year.As the small groups shared their discussions, she typed their thoughts on the projector and facilitated the discussion.

Famous Leaders(generally considered Transformational)

What Makes them Transformational?

In your group, decide:WHY Transformational

Transactional or Transformational? Why???

Moses– Was hidden by mother as a baby to avoid being killed

and raised by Egyptian royal family– Killed a slave-master and fled to country– Became shepherd and told by God to deliver the

Hebrews from slavery– Led Hebrews on a 40-year journey– Given the Ten Commandments tablets as rules for

Hebrew people– Died before reaching the promised land (Israel)

Transactional or Transformational? Why???

Walt Disney– Founder of Disneyland, etc.– Set culture of excellence, right down to the

way the park sidewalks were cleaned– Set culture of caring for customers and

ensuring customer had a great time– Set expectation of staying in character

regardless of what happens in the park

Transactional or Transformational? Why???

Sam Walton…founder and CEO Wal-Mart– Consistently visited stores and his employees– Established high expectations for quality at

unbeatable prices– Created a culture of commitment– Made fortune by designing unique distribution

process to maintain merchandise supply at low overhead

Transactional or Transformational? Why???

Mohandas Gandhi Sir Winston Churchill

Transactional or Transformational? Why???

John F. Kennedy Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Transactional or Transformational? Why???Mother Teresa of Calcutta Rosa Parks

Transactional or Transformational? Why???

Michael Jordan General George Patton III

Principal Leadership Questionnaire

The following slides provide examples of principal behavior from the Principal Leadership Questionnaire developed by Jantzi and Leithwood, 1996.

View it at http://education.missouri.edu/orgs/mllc/

Or www.MLLC.org

Examples of Transformational Principal Behaviors

Visioning– Excites faculty with visions of what we may be

able to accomplish if we work together as a team.

– Makes faculty members feel and act like leaders.

– Gives the faculty a sense of overall purpose for its leadership role.

Examples of Transformational Principal Behaviors

Models BehaviorLeads by “doing” rather than simply by “telling.”Exemplifies success and accomplishment within

the profession of education.

Examples of Transformational Principal Behaviors

Fosters Commitment– Provides for participation in the process of developing

school goals. – Encourages faculty members to work toward the

same goals. – Uses problem solving with the faculty to generate

school goals. – Works toward whole faculty consensus in establishing

priorities for school goals. – Regularly encourages faculty members to evaluate

progress toward achievement of school goals.

Examples of Transformational Principal Behaviors

Provides Individualized Support– Provides for extended training to develop teachers’

knowledge and skills relevant to being a member of the school faculty.

– Provides the necessary resources to support implementation of the school’s program.

– Treats me as an individual with unique needs and expertise.

– Takes my opinion into consideration when initiating actions that affect my work.

– Behaves in a manner thoughtful of my personal needs.

Examples of Transformational Principal Behaviors

Provides Intellectual Stimulation– Challenges me to reexamine some basic

assumptions I have about my work in the school.

– Stimulates me to think about what I am doing for the school’s students.

– Provides information that helps me think of ways to implement the school’s program.

Examples of Transformational Principal Behaviors

Holds High Expectations– Insists on only the best performance from the

school’s faculty. – Shows us that there are high expectations for

the school’s faculty as professionals. – Does not settle for second best in the

performance of our work as the school’s faculty.

Synthesis: The Big Picture

What are the key concepts we should take with us from our discussion of Transformational Leadership?

andWhat are basic leadership competencies or behaviors exhibited by a transformational leader?

Movies and Leadership

Name a movie where the main character is a leader who has a vision and who accomplishes certain goals by involving followers. What were the leadership characteristics of that leader…transactional or transformational?