This paper discusses styles of leadership as seen in a Harvard Business School case study by Christopher A. Bartlett and Heather Beckham. The study focuses on leadership styles that Peter Vyas and Cynthia Jackson employed in their leadership aspects.
Applied Research Technologies, Inc. is an established technology company that has used its consumerist culture and support of innovation as a continuing competitive benefit.
Peter Vyas, the Filtration Unit manager is challenged to decide on whether to ask for $2 million in project grant from Cynthia Jackson, the divisional vice president. Related filtration projects have aborted twice before, injuring the integrity of Vyas and the Filtration Unit as a whole. Jackson has lately been challenged to pivot or close the unit.
From the case above, it is clear that Vyas applied transformational style of leadership in his ruling. Transformational leadership does not encompass exchange of commodities amid the leader and followers but leaders work out of intensely held personal value systems, also known as end values. These are values that cannot be bargained or exchanged amid individuals.
By showing these individual standards, transformational leaders are capable of uniting their subjects and, more significantly, really change their subjects’ goals and attitudes. The fact that workers in the company challenged Vyas to ask for the grant means that they were focused on achieving the company’s goal.
Transformational leaders get reception of the organizational mission by increasing the ability within subjects to see further than their individual self interests. Bass (1985) explains that this is accomplished by using one or more of the following aspects that are related to transformational leadership: inspirational motivation, charisma, individual consideration and intellectual stimulation.
The charismatic aspect of the transformational leader is typified by providing a mission and vision, gaining respect and trust and instilling pleasure in the group. The most current conception of transformational leadership partitions charisma into ascribed and behavioral idealized control components.
Inspirational motivation is normally a companion of charisma. This aspect is typically characterized by the expression of high hopes, using symbols to emphasize efforts, and expressing significant purposes in simple ways.
Intellectual motivation of followers is another aspect of transformational leadership. This aspect is often characterized by aptitude, wisdom, reason, and vigilant problem solving. An intellectually motivating leader helps his followers in seeing old issues from new and different outlooks.
Individual consideration is the fourth behavioral component of transformational leaders. Transformational leaders have a tendency of paying close attention to personal differences amid their followers. Training and enlightening employees with close personal attention also characterizes this aspect.
Past research suggests that a leaders back-up for innovation can act as a moderating factor linking transformational leader actions and unit performance of the follower (Howell & Avolio, 1993).
On the other hand, the type of leadership style exhibited by Vyas’ boss, Cynthia Jackson, as she considered the proposal was transactional leadership. Exchange between the leader and subject is the means to a transactional style of leadership. They direct one another in a way that both of them obtain something of value. For instance, Cynthia Jackson gave Peter Vyas the grant so that he could improve the filtration project.
Transactional leadership is also distinguished by the features of management-by-exception and contingent reward. An active transactional leader normally uses a style of contingent reward after the follower meets an established and commonly understood goal whereas a passive transactional leader is likely to apply managing-by exception providing that goals are attained.
Putting myself in the shoes of Cynthia Jackson, I would also use the leadership style that she used, transactional leadership. I would agree with my team to offer the grant on condition that they would ensure the success of the Filtration Unit project.
At one time, Jane, my boss at Techno Solutions Company exhibited the same behavior as Cynthia Jackson when she was confronted with a management issue.
William Rogers, a manager in one of the Company’s departments wanted funds to purchase an electronic machine that would be used in electro-magnification and classifying spectrums. The previous year, Rogers had made a similar request and Jane had funded her. However, the machine got spoilt due to improper handling.
So as to address this issue, Jane applied the transactional style of leadership. She summoned Rogers and all his team members and they had a lengthy discussion. Jane agreed to buy the machine in condition that it would be handled cautiously.
In conclusion, Peter Vyas and Cynthia Jackson demonstrated transformational and transitional leadership styles respectively. In transformational leadership style, leaders’ work out of intensely held personal value systems, also known as end values so as to unite their subjects and, more significantly, change their subjects’ goals and attitudes.
On the other hand, exchange between the leader and subject is the means to a transactional style of leadership. They direct one another in a way that both of them obtain something of value. Hence, the existing conditions and the environment determine the style of leadership that a manager uses.
References
Bass, B.M. (1985). Leadership and performance beyond expectations. New York: Oxford University Press.
Howell, J.M. & Avolio, B.J. (1993). Transformational leadership, transactional leadership, locus of control, and support for innovation: key predictors of consolidated-business-unit performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 78(6), 891-902.