Let’s have a look at a third model: transformational leadership.
This theory is linked to the Visionary leader.
The role of the transformational leader is to be a role model,
to create a shared vision, and to build a team’s trust and capacity
to work together.
Transformational leaders create an environment in which individuals transcend their individual
goals to achieve the higher mission of the organization.
Transformational leaders have to be able to transform the context with their vision,
rather than simply react to it.
How to do this, is very interesting.
We critically reflected on the concept of visions Hans even argued that visions are
tricky, as sticking to a vision can make us blind
to changing circumstances.
In the following clip, you see a speech of Elon Musk,
CEO of Tesla, a great example of a transformational leader.
Again, please carefully observe the behavior of Elon Musk.
Welcome everyone to basically, the announcement of Tesla Energy,
all right.
So what I’m going to talk about tonight is about a fundamental transformation of how
the world works, about how energy is delivered across the Earth.
This is how it is today, it’s pretty bad.
It sucks, exactly.
I just want to be clear because sometimes some people are like,
confused about it, this is real,
okay.
This is actually how most power in the world is generated,
with fossil fuels and if you look at the curve, that’s a famous curve,
the Keeling curve which shows the growth in CO2 concentration in the atmosphere and every
year it ratchets up, it gets higher and higher and if we do nothing
that’s how, that’s what,
where it’s headed, to levels that we don’t even see in the
fossil record.
So this is – Well, I think we – we collectively should do something
about this.
And not try to win the Darwin award.
For us and a lot of other creatures too.
Let us briefly reflect on transformational leadership.
What’s the main difference between Steve Jobs as a Hero leader and Elon Musk as a Transformational leader?
Obviously, there are important parallels between both leaders.
They are visionary and they have changed the world with their new technological products.
One important difference is the higher mission of Tesla,
which is really about transitioning to a society based on sustainable sources of energy.
This is nothing less than transforming the way society works.
Transformational leadership is clearly appealing, so what are the issues with this style that
we need to be aware of when developing our own leadership style?
First of all, not all leaders have visionary personalities,
and these may be hard to develop.
Secondly, all attention goes to the visionary leader
instead of the issues that s/he is trying to address.
Thirdly, the reputation of the organization is largely
determined by the visionary leader.
This is a risk.
And fourthly, there is an organizational dependence on a
visionary leader, there is the potential for a lack of empowerment
for leaders at lower levels of the organization.