The purpose of the study is to examine conceptual similarities of transformational and servant leadership theories and analyze the contribution both theories make to the understanding of leadership. The paper examines the extent the domains of the two theories overlap, and looks at the motivation of managers to create organizational cultures using one or the other perspectives. It is suggested that servant leadership leads to a spiritual generative culture, while transformational leadership leads to an empowered dynamic culture. The paper also addresses contextual factors which might make one or the other models more appropriate for organizational objectives. It is suggested that high change environments require the empowered dynamic culture of transformational leadership, while more static environments are better served by the servant leadership culture.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Antonakis, J., House, R.J. (2002). The full-range leadership theory: The way forward . In Avolio, B.J., Yammarino, F.J. (Eds.). Transformational and charismatic leadership: The road ahead. (V.2). (pp.3-34) Amsterdam : JAI- Elsevier Science.
2.
Avolio, B.J., Yammarino, F.J. (Eds.). (2002). Transformational and charismatic leadership: The road ahead. (V.2). Amsterdam: JAI- Elsevier Science.
3.
Baliga, B.R., Hunt, J.G. (1988). An organizational life cycle approach to leadership . In Hunt, J.G., Baliga, B.R., Dachler, H.P., Schriesheim, C.A. (Eds.). Emerging leadership vistas. (pp. 129-149). Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.
4.
Bass, B.M. (1985). Leadership and performance beyond expectations . New York: The Free Press.
5.
Bass, B.M. (1996). New paradigm of leadership: an inquiry into transformational leadershipAlexandria, VA: U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences
Bass B. M., Avolio B. J. (Eds.). (1994a). Improving organizational effectiveness through transformational leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
8.
Bass, B.M.; Avolio, B.J., (1994b). Transformational leadership and organizational culture. International Journal of Public Administration, 17 (3/4), 541-552.
9.
Beazley, H., Beggs, J. (2002). Teaching servant leadership. In Spears, L.C., Lawrence, M. (Eds.). Focus on leadership: Servant leadership for the 21st century. (pp. 53-63). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
10.
Bums, J.M. (1978). Leadership. New York: Harper & Row.
11.
Carver, J. (2002). The unique double servant-leadership role of the board chair. In Spears, L.C., Lawrence, M. (Eds.). Focus on leadership: Servant leadership for the 21st century. (pp.189-209). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Dansereau, F., Yammarino, F.J. (Eds.). (1998). Leadership: The multiple-level approaches: Contemporary and alternative. Stamford, CT : JAI Press.
14.
Dvir, T., Eden, D., Avolio, B.J., Shamir, B. (2002). Impact of transformational leadership on follower development and performance: a field experiment. Academy of Management Journal, 45 (4), 735-744.
15.
Freeman, T.L., Isaksen, S.G., Dorval, K.B. (2002). Servant leadership and creativity. In Spears, L.C., Lawrence, M. (Eds.). Focus on leadership: Servant leadership for the 21st century. (pp. 257-267). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
16.
Gibbons, P.T. (1992). Impacts of organizational evolution on leadership roles and behaviors. Human Relations, 45 (1), 1-13.
17.
Graen, G., Cashman, J.F. (1975). A role making model of leadership in formal organizations . In Hunt, J.G., Larson, L.L. (Eds.), Leadership Frontiers. (pp. 143-165). Carbondale: Southern Illinois Press.
18.
Graen, G., Scandura, T. (1987). Toward a psychology of dyadic organizing .In Straw, B.M., Cummings, L.L. (Eds.), Research in Organizational Behavior . (Vol. 9). (pp. 125-208).Greenwich, CT : JAI Press.
19.
Graham, J.W. (1991). Servant leadership in organizations: Inspirational and moral. Leadership Quarterly, 2 (2), 105-119.
20.
Greenleaf, R.K. (1977).Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press.
21.
Hellriegel, D., Slocum, J., Woodman, R. (2001). Organizational Behavior (9th Ed.). Cincinnati: South Western .
22.
Hollander E.P. (1993). Legitimacy, Power, and influence: A perspective on relational features of leadership. In Chemers, M.M. & Ayman, R. (Eds.). Leadership theory and research: perspectives and directions . (pp. 29-47). San Diego: Academic Press.
23.
House, R.J., Shamir, B. (1993). Toward the integration of transformational, charismatic, and visionary theories. In Chemers, M.M. & Ayman, R. (Eds.). Leadership theory and research: perspectives and directions. (pp.81-100). San Diego: Academic Press.
Kim, K., Dansereau, F., Kim, I. ( 2002). Extending the concept of charismatic leadership: An illustration using Bass's (1990) categories. In Avolio, B.J., Yammarino, F.J. (Eds.). (2002). Transformational and charismatic leadership: The road ahead. (V.2). (pp.143-172). Amsterdam: JAI- Elsevier Science.
26.
Kotter, J.P. (1988). The leadership factor. New York: Free Press.
27.
Laub, J.A. (1999). Assessing the servant organization: Development of the Servant Organizational Leadership Assessment (SOLA) instrument. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Florida Atlantic University.
28.
Maslow, A. (1970). Motivation and Personality (2nd Ed.). New York: Harper and Rowe .
29.
May, D.R., Hodges, T.D., Chan, A.Y.L., Avolio, B.J. (2003). Developing the moral component of authentic leadership . Organizational Dynamics, 32 (3), 247-260.
30.
Pawar, B.S., Eastman, K.K. (1997). The Nature and implications of contextual influences on transformational leadership: a conceptual examination. Academy of Management Review, 22 (1), 80-109.
31.
Pettigrew, A.M., Ferlie, E., McKee, L. (1992). Shaping strategic change. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.
32.
Pettigrew, A.M. (1987). Context and action in the transformation of the firms. Journal of Management Studies, 24 (6), 649-670
33.
Spears, L.C. (Ed.). (1998). Insights on leadership: Service, stewardship, spirit, and servant leadership . New York: John Wiley & Sons . Spears, L.C. (1998). Creating caring leadership for the 21st century. The Non-for-Profit CEO, 5 (9), 1-3
34.
Spears, L.C., Lawrence, M. (Eds.). (2002). Focus on leadership: Servant leadership for the 21 st century. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
35.
Trice, H.M., Beyer, J.M. (1986). Charisma and its routinization in two social movement organizations. In Straw, B.M., Cummings, L.L. (Eds.), Research in organizational behavior (Vol.8). ( pp. 85-135). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.
36.
Wicks, J. (2002). Table for Six Billion Please. In Spears, L.C.. Lawrence, M. (Eds.). Focus on leadership: Servant leadership for the 21st century (pp. 269-283). New York: John Wiley & Sons.
37.
Yukl, G. (1999). An evaluative essay on current conceptions of effective leadership. European Journal of Work & OrganizationalPsychology. 8 (1), 33-48.
38.
Yukl, G.A. (1994). Leadership in organizations. 3rd Ed,. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
