In need of (2) substantive replies of 100 words each to (2) different forum posts. E01322CE01NCOL: Fundamental Leadership Dynamics Topic: Lesson 2 – Full Range Leadership
Peer replies to further the conversation
Student replied to at least two (2) classmates’ posts and each reply includes at least three (3) to four (4) sentences relating the classmate’s post.
Responses are substantive and encourage discussion by proposing a different point of view supported by an attribution to a source, personal example, or personal application. All responses include related follow up questions to promote continued discussion.
Topic: Lesson Lesson 2 – Full Range Leadership
LESSON 2 ISSUE FOR DISCUSSION #1:
Do you believe a transformational leader is the most effective over the long-term; why or why not?
Forum Post 1:
Re: Lesson 2, IFD #1
A transformational leader, as opposed to a transactional leader, is most effective for long-term benefits because they enable the organizational conditions for employees to grow and develop individually to make decisions that have long-term implications. Leaders simply cannot make every decision for an organization, and that’s one of the main reasons why they need workers who are competent and confident decision makers to solve problems at their level. Transactional leadership does not allow complex development of thinking employees. As Kirkbride mentions in his article, “Developing transformational leaders: the full range leadership model in action,” transactional leadership is just as it sounds, managers offer reward or punishment corresponding to workers’ alignment with task completion or standards (Kirkbride, 2006). A transactional style leader is good for short-term gains or to tackle short-term projects, but in order to be more aligned to the organization’s vision and mission, a more diverse leadership style is required. Some leaders choose a transactional style by default because it is easy and does not require much thought. However, leadership is hard, and anytime we try to make it easy upon ourselves as the leader, we can be assured that we are doing it wrong.
I think of transactional vs. transformational leadership much like the “teach a man to fish” proverb: “give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Transactional leaders are very much giving a man a fish to feed him for a day. Transformational leaders, on the other hand, are teaching a man to fish, which gives them the skills required to feed them for life. This is where transformational leadership connects with being effective over the long-term – as leaders, we should not be only concerned with the day in front of us, but with the many days ahead that the organization and people will face.
Forum Post 2:
Re: Lesson 2, IFD #1
Transformational leadership is perhaps the most effective over the long term since it can appeal individually to a person in one-on-one scenarios. When we compare transformational leadership against that of transactional, laissez-faire, or passive/active management by exception, many of the transformational styles of leadership promotes positivity, individuality, and more trust within the individual. Intellectual stimulation and its ability to “[stimulate] followers to think through issues and problems for themselves” is perhaps one of the most effective uses of transformational leadership over time (Kirkbridge, 5). In my experience so far, stimulating one’s intellectual capabilities is perhaps one of the greatest ways to improve someone’s analysis capabilities, for instead of giving a straight answer, it requires the Marine or person to figure out the answer with little to no outside help. This allows critical thinking to develop and perhaps enhance someone’s capabilities to solve problems quicker or without outside help. Now, it can be argued that it’d be faster to give someone the answer or more effective short-term as used in active management-by-exception, however, this doesn’t stimulate individual growth and may make someone feel inferior for not knowing the answer. Further use of the effectiveness of transformation leadership is its use of trying to find out more about the person under you as shown in the individualized consideration style of leadership. As Mr. Swaggert stated in Lesson One “to be more than simply an authoritative figure, you must have a emotional relationship with others”, having an emotional relationship with those under you helps form a bond that when asked to do something by you, they’re more likely to do it regardless of the difficulty of the task. This also plays into inspirational motivation leadership because if you’re willing to motivate them through not only your own actions but directly assisting them, they may feel more emotionally attached to you and feel as if you will have their back. Transformational leadership is perhaps one of the most dynamic leadership styles, however, it also has the most effective styles to not only encourage personnel under you but also allows you to foster relationships that could prove beneficial in the long term.
Kirkbride, Paul. (2006). Developing transformational leaders: The full range leadership model in action. Industrial and Commercial Training. 38. 23-32. 10.1108/00197850610646016..
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