Download Transformational, Cultural, and Symbolic Theories

Transformational, Cultural,
and Symbolic Theories
Chapter 7
What’s in Chapter 7?
Three main points:
• Transformational Leadership
• Cultural Leadership
• Symbolic Leadership
Introduction
• We now shift away from the “scientific” classical theories and look at
more progressive theories which capture the value and meaning of
leadership to organizations
• Stability gave way to major social changes in the 1970s
• Much disenchantment with the establishment
• Transformational leadership theory was born out of a need for type of
leader that was interested in ethics
Transformational Leadership Theory
• Transformational leadership emerged out of the work of James
MacGregor Burns
• Transformational leadership is a process in which “leaders and
followers raise one another to higher levels of morality and
motivation”
• Transformational leaders have the ability to “impact, change, or
discard the status quo.”
• Organizations are changing and need leaders who can bring positive
changes, with a focus on values and morality.
Transformational Leadership Theory
• Transformation centers around growing the needs of followers
• The central objective is moving people up the needs hierarchy;
transforming people to higher levels
• Values and morality are central to leadership
Transformational Leadership Theory
• People are driven by a moral need
• Leaders help followers make sense of inconsistency to arrive at a
satisfactory solution
Elements of Transformational Leadership
Transformational Leadership is…
• Collective rather than focused only on the leader’s needs and power
• Dissensual (offering other opinions) and promotes change
• Causative rather than reactive (it creates change)
• Morally purposeful (values are important)
• Elevating (moving to a higher level of challenge and growth)
Transformational Vs. Transactional Leadership
• Transformation = Change
• Transaction = Exchange
• Transactional leadership tends to be self-centered and focused on the
needs of the leader. Interactions between leaders and followers are
simply exchanges (or trades) that benefit the leader.
• Transformation involves leaders investing in followers and the desire to
change things for the better. Transformational leaders recognize the
need for values and seeks to bring his followers to a higher moral level.
More about Transformational Leadership
• Laissez-faire leadership is the total lack of leadership
• Transformational leadership is the process of influence
• It is based on interaction and ethics, rather than just productivity and
performance
• Different authors have different concepts of transactional leadership, but
views on transformational leadership are consistent
Organizational Culture and Leadership
• Assumptions of organizational culture research
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Every organization has a culture
Strong cultures mean success
Culture is symbolic and manageable
Every organization has core values that drive the culture
Organizational culture impacted by changes
• Deal and Kennedy – corporate cultures centered on values, symbols,
and leaders
• Peters and Waterman – strong cultures mean success
• Schein – leaders play a key role in the culture
Important Elements of Organizational Culture
• Values
• Symbols
• Rites and Rituals
• Heroes
• Stories
• Artifacts
Symbolic Leaders
• Leader is the symbolic head of the organization
• Steering wheel, visionary, symbolizer
• Role of communication central to leading
• Masters of the symbolic realm
• Social architects
Symbolic Leaders
• Goes beyond Lewin, Lippitt, and White’s work
• Leader must create and communicate a clear compelling vision
• Leadership is the art of organizing, interpreting, and selling the vision
• Leaders use influence
• Leadership not management
• Leaders serve symbolic and social role, managers serve the functional
day-to-day roles
• There substantial differences between the two
Chapter 7 Summary
• Shift in leadership theory to transformational, cultural, and symbolic
models
• Each unique but still similar in approach
• Started to question the ways leadership had been approached in the
past