Introduction
Leadership is one of the most essential components of conducting any activity. This aspect is due to the fact that the effectiveness of the team’s work and its involvement and interest in achieving the goal and success depend on it. The style used by the team manager is of great importance in this context. The most common approaches in this context are transactional and transformational leadership, each of which has its own unique characteristics that require attention.
Definition
First, it is necessary to understand the definitions of the leadership approaches under consideration. Thus, the transactional strategy “creates systems that encourage followers to perform well through rewards and punishments” (Transactional vs. transformative leadership, n.d., para. 2). Therefore, rewards for good actions and punishments for undesirable ones become the center of this approach. On the other hand, transformational leaders “take control of situations by conveying a clear vision of the group’s goals” (Cherry, 2023, para. 2). In other words, the central difference of this strategy is the increase in team engagement and motivation through shared vision.
Comparison in Terms of HRM Theory
Human relations management theory can also provide significant insight into the differences in the effectiveness of the approaches discussed. It emphasizes that the leaders of the group should invest in their employees, that is, treat them as people, not as means to achieve the end goal (Ward, 2021). In the context of this theory, transformational leadership will be more successful than transactional leadership, as it helps to spread the opinion of employees that they are valuable to the organization, and without them, it will not succeed.
Gender Presentation in Leadership
In the context of researching the topic of leadership, it is necessary to pay attention to another significant issue. It implies that women contribute a significant portion of the tourism, hospitality, and leisure workforce. However, at the moment, only a small percentage hold top management positions (Women in Management, 2022).
This problem is becoming more widespread, and widespread dissatisfaction requires identifying measures to increase the percentage of women occupying more senior roles. One reason for the disadvantage faced by women in the tourism, hospitality, and leisure industry is misconceptions and gender bias (Koc, 2020). To limit it, we need to promote equality and diversity through training and awareness-raising among workers.
Another intervention that can help change the situation is to involve both sexes in the changes. Therefore, it is pointed out that “discussions about gender should shift away from female-centric to the relational character of genders, highlighting the role of men in the process of gender reform and equality” (Gebbels, Gao, and Cai, 2020, p. 3632). A real-life example is #HeForShe, a men’s solidarity movement supporting women’s rights. As part of this initiative, information on the importance of gender equality is actively disseminated, fostering positive dynamics in entrepreneurship.
Conclusion
In conclusion, transactional and transformational leadership are valuable tools for achieving success and the most outstanding efficiency of the team. At the same time, it is important to remember that management approaches should encourage individuals as people who work for the common good. In addition, it is vital to pay attention to the important phenomenon of equality and to introduce more women into the male-dominated industry to occupy top positions. This requires open dialogue, awareness-raising, and support from both genders.
Reference List
Cherry, K. (2023). How transformational leadership can inspire others.
Gebbels, M., Gao, X. and Cai, W. (2020) ‘Let’s not just “talk” about it: reflections on women’s career development in hospitality’, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 32(11), pp. 3623-3643.
Koc, E. (2020) ‘Do women make better in tourism and hospitality? A conceptual review from a customer satisfaction and service quality perspective’, Journal of Quality Assurance in Hospitality & Tourism, 21(4), pp. 402-429.
Transactional vs. transformative leadership — Which is better? (n.d.).
Ward, P. (2021). Human relations management theory: Summary, examples.
Women in management: Women remain underrepresented in management positions and continue to earn less than male managers (2022).