B.M. Bass developed a study in 1985 on leadership in the western world which focused on western leaders and how they influenced their subordinates. What he found was that leaders across organizations shared similar attributes. He referred to this style as “transformational leadership”. Through this style, leaders “inspire followers to transcend self-interest for the good of the organization and can have an extraordinary effect on their followers” (Robbins & Judges, 2012:188). Bass discovered that cultures that used this leadership style placed importance on the development of individual’s work performance within organizations. Using his research, Bass was able to organize the behaviors of what he deemed transformational leadership into four categories: idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual consideration, and intellectual stimulation. Each category is a different form of influence that the leaders have over their followers which allow them to affect diverse groups of people. Since the theory was based on a study of western leaders, the transformational leadership theory can be viewed as bias in a western context. In other words, this style of leadership may be more effective in western organizations than eastern organizations due to the differing cultural values. However, there are examples of transformational leaders in each culture.
Martin Luther King Jr. is one example of transformational leadership in the west. In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood in front of a crowd of hundreds of thousands of people where he delivered his famous “I Have A Dream” speech. He touched the crowd with his passion and charisma, which created a vision for those people to strive towards. That vision he created is an examp...
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Martin Luther King Jr. was a social activist who played a very important part in the American Civil rights movement. Martin Luther King’s work still continues to serve as a superb example of leadership. Some leadership qualities he demonstrated were being able to persuade others without force. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was able to convince millions of people to support his dreams through nonviolent protests and speeches. He gave people something to believe in. Another leadership quality that Dr. King Jr. was to embrace fear. He taught people it is better to admit your fears so you are able to be courageous in spite of it. Getting everyone involved was another leadership quality that he displayed. Martin King Jr was able to involve so many people because they all felt they were part of a bigger
The title or term, Leader, and the name Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. are synonymous in the minds, hearts, and souls of millions perhaps billions across the globe today and for many years to come. Not only was Dr. King an effective visionary leader, he accomplished enormous feats applying appropriate ethical principles along the way. As the focal point for the Civil Rights Movement from December 1955 through April 1968, Dr. King was able to successfully lead a movement that garnered more results for the equality of African Americans in the United States than the previous 3.5 centuries had produced. As the son, grandson, and great-grandson of Southern Baptist Ministers, Dr. Kings up-bringing and religious faith provided a solid foundation of values and structurally sound ethical practices that aided and guided him along the journey he embarked on that would inevitably change the American landscape and transform the lives of every person that was fortunate enough to call America home ("The King Center", 2014). His overarching vision for the future of an equal and level playing field for all and the peaceful pursuit of such a climate in America is regarded as one of the most significant accomplishments in our countries great history. The first area we will explore in this paper speaks to how Dr. King was effective at using transformational leadership in leading the Civil Rights Movement. We’ll also look at how Dr. King was effective at aspects of Team Building. Being ethically sound was pertinent given the climate in America back then, so we’ll also dive into some of Dr. King’s practices and how they were ethically apt. Finally, looking back over the tools Dr. King used, we’ll explore how his leadership ability and ethical principles ...
In this time of transition and uncertainty, research suggests that transformational leadership is highly effective (Straight, 2006). Leadership research has drifted from emphasis on the competence of leaders to “manage change” to the ability to “transform” organizations. Transformational leaders have attributes and behaviors needed to successfully motivate and empower employees. According to Bernard Bass (1990), transformational leadership occurs when a leader transforms, or changes, his or her followers in three important ways that together result in followers trusting the leader, performing behaviors that contribute to the achievement of organizational goals, and being motivated to perform at a high level. Transformational leaders can achieve greater performance by stimulating innovative ways of thinking and transforming follower’s beliefs and aspirations. Maxwell (Maxwell, 2007) articulates that most of the time, influence is more important than formal power or authority. I agree with him. Influence is very important in organizational and co...
Our world is filled with many successful leaders. The gift of being a leader can be learned; however some individuals have a natural born talent to be a leader. Each leader has his or her own unique leadership style. The gift of being a leader can be learned. Certain individuals are born with a charismatic style and can easily be a leader. A successful leader is one who can inspire and motivate people towards a goal. Martin Luther King Jr. was an individual with a born gift to lead people. The following paper will discuss how Martin Luther King Jr. was able to inspire and motivate people with his effective leadership style.
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From long ago, I can recollect that Martin Luther King Jr. is an icon to me, as well as a mentor and a model. I also feel that he is an inspiration and a true leader because of the efforts he made to help African Americans obtain their civil rights in the United States. With Dr. King’s influence on me, at the age of 12 and 13, I had performed Martin Luther King speeches, winning 1st place two years in a row at my middle school. Accomplishments that Martin Luther King Jr. has achieved brought a new perspective to the minds of other individuals and set himself apart from many other activist leaders, and establishing himself as one of the greatest and most influential speakers in U.S. history. Dr. King spoke on a lot during his time, making modifications towards many committees, organizations, and governmental groups to end racial segregation and racial discrimination, becoming one of the most well known human rights icons. Dr. King’s efforts have led to a tremendous change in the world’s viewpoints towards each other, ending racial segregation and discrimination. The leadership attitude that Martin Luther King Jr. has influenced me to be more enthusiastic and motivated to become a better person. His mental abilities, knowledge, and cognitive skills have made me more persistent to achieve my goal in life and to be more aggressive and persistent to accomplish anything I want for my future.
Martin Luther King Jr. provided a great amount of leadership during the Civil Rights Movement. King started many nonviolent protests towards equality. Some of these nonviolent protests consisted of high attendance, such as the March On Washington, where more than two-hundred thousand people crowded into Washington D.C. to declare jobs and freedom. Dr. King played a big leadership role during the march by giving his “I Have a Dream Speech.” Using his leadership to inspire others to stand up for equal rights through nonviolent protests. His passive speech led to him leading other protests standing for equality. A leader needs the courage to take a stand and be
It was here that King made his famous “I Have a Dream’ speech, emphasizing his belief that someday all men could be brothers.” Therefore, Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech resulted in change in America. For all these reasons, Martin Luther King, Jr used leadership to strengthen the Civil Rights
The transformational leadership theory was deemed an appealing based on individual beliefs regarding employee-leader relationships. With a focus on communication and motivation, transformational leaders promote positive change within
McShane, Steven L.; Von-Glinow, Mary Ann: Organizational Behavior 6th Ed. Copyright 2013. McGraw-Hill Irwin. New York, NY.
Initially, transactional and transformational leadership are different in terms of implementation and its outcomes. However, transformational leadership was developed from transactional leadership (Downton, 1973). Bass (1985) defined transactional leadership as an exchange activity that leaders execute to motivate subordinates in order to achieve their tasks by giving out reward or punishment correspond with their performance. Additionally, active and passive management by exception are taken into account when it comes to misconception and faults. Bass (1985) stated that transformational leadership emphasizes the value of subordinates, encourages them to perform extra effort, and assures their comprehension on organization’s goals and objectives. Besides, idealised influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulatio...
And then we have Martin Luther King Jr. – a man of wondrous dreams. His ‘I Have a Dream’ speech from the March on Washington in 1963 is wildly popular among all nations even today, and perhaps that is why he is recognised as one of the greatest orators ever to be a part of American history. Arthur Ashe once said that true heroism is something that is defined by the need to serve others, rather than surpass them. King is a shining example of such true and pure heroism. While his actions were wrought
Stephen P. Robbins and Timothy A. Judge in "Organizational Behavior", 12th ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, 2005, p. 407
Kursh, S., Lant, T., Majeske, K., Olver, J., & Plant, R. (2012). OL690 Responsible Corporate Leadership. : Pearson Custom Library.
As per Bernard M. Bass theory of transformational leadership, transformational leaders harvest trust, respect and high regard from their followers. He recommended four different components of transformational leadership.