Reflective Essay on Transformational Leadership: Practices and Impact

This reflective essay examines transformational leadership, focusing on its practices, impact, and associated concerns. It identifies unidirectional influence as a key area of concern, where leaders may exert influence without sufficient two-way communication or consideration of employee perspectives. The essay explores the positive impacts of transformational leadership on organizational performance and employee attitudes. It then proposes strategies to address the identified concerns, such as promoting effective communication and involving team members in decision-making processes. The essay also acknowledges potential challenges, like the risk of delayed decision-making when team members hold differing views. Finally, the essay emphasizes the importance of addressing the concerns associated with transformational leadership to achieve organizational goals effectively.

Running head: REFLECTIVE ESSAY
Reflective Essay
Name of Student
Name of University
Author Note

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REFLECTIVE ESSAY
Table of Contents
Introduction..........................................................................................................................2
1. Area of Concern Related to Transformational Leadership Practices..............................2
2. Impact of Transformational Leadership Practices...........................................................2
3. Recommendations/Strategies to Address Area of Concern.............................................3
4. Possible Challenges.........................................................................................................4
Conclusion...........................................................................................................................4
References............................................................................................................................5

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REFLECTIVE ESSAY
Introduction
Transformational leadership deals with motivating and encouraging the employees or a
group to innovate and create a change within the organization (Mittal & Dhar, 2015). It is one of
the most aspiring leadership styles as this particular style work on the premise of a leader
working with his subordinates to achieve a common goal. However, despite of the benefits it
offer, there are certain area of concern associated with transformational leadership. The report
aims in evaluation of that particular area of concern. One of the identified area of concern is
unidirectional influence and this area of concern is discussed in the following paragraphs.
1. Area of Concern Related to Transformational Leadership Practices
The transformational leadership practices is known for bringing in innovative changes in
an organization. The transformational leaders generally motivates his followers to share an equal
amount of enthusiasm to achieve a common goal. However, one of the key area of concern
linked with this leadership practices is unidirectional influence (Breevaart et al., 2015).
Transformational leadership is often termed as unidirectional leadership mostly because in this
leadership practice the leaders instructs the team to perform in a certain way. In organizations,
where this particular leadership style is practiced, the followers are motivated and influenced to
do perform for the betterment of the organization and do what is good for the organizational
context. The employees and the organization need to have the same vision to make this
leadership style work. This is an area of concern since there is only unidirectional influence from
a leader to its follower. The unidirectional influence has a probability of backfiring if the
employee fails to understand the goal of the organization (Tyssen, Wald & Spieth, 2014). The
Unidirectional influence further indicate unidirectional communication flow in majority of the
cases, which is another area of the concern as there is a probability that the follower may not be
able to understand the goal and the technique that the leader is following, which in turn can
impact the overall organizational goal in a negative manner.
2. Impact of Transformational Leadership Practices
The transformational leadership practices that is followed in the school has a significant
influence on the fundamental attitudes and the assumptions of my colleagues, followers and the
communities served by the school. As per my observation, the transformational leadership

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REFLECTIVE ESSAY
practices have so far impacted the organization in a positive manner (McCleskey, 2014).). The
transformational leadership practices confronts a reality which is based on knowledge to foster
innovation and to achieve improvements. My colleagues have shown drastic improvement in
terms of organizational performance. This could be possible mainly because transformational
leadership that is practiced in the school has been able to influence the fundamental attitude of all
the members of the organization in a positive manner. As a part of the transformational
leadership practices, the leader has ensured that basic explicit and tactical knowledge circulate
within the organization. I have seen that the organizations and the communities that are served
by the school have understood the importance of shared collective organizational consciousness
and are ready to take up new challenges and adapt to new ideas. This particular leadership
practices has positively impacted my colleagues as well. They have understood the importance of
self-management and are quite effective in sharing collective organizational consciousness
(Hawkins, 2017). Thus, it can be said that the transformational leadership practices have a
positive impact on the colleagues, followers and organization have positive impact so far.
However, the issues of unidirectional influence can affect the organizational performance and
therefore, this issue is needed to be addressed.
3. Recommendations/Strategies to Address Area of Concern
The area of concern associated with the transformational leadership practices can be
addressed by evaluating the effective educational leadership practices. Educational leadership
practices generally aims in achievement of common educational goals. The area of concern that
is highlighted in transformational leadership practice mainly indicates the presence of a
unidirectional influence, unidirectional communication and eventually, a lack of understanding
of the common goal. Certain strategies can be adopted to address this concern associated with the
transformational leadership practices. The recommendations to deal with the identified area of
concern are indicated as follows-
1. One of the effective strategies that could be followed in the school to address the
concern arising from transformational leadership is to promote effective communication among
the group members (Men, 2014). This will help in easier understanding of the key issues that the
group members are facing, or the issues they expect their leader to address.

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REFLECTIVE ESSAY
2. It is further recommended to involve the team members in decision making. This will
increase the involvement of the team members with the organizational issues in an effective
manner, which will help in easier achievement of the common organizational goal (Ghasabeh,
Soosay & Reaiche, 2015).
3. Another recommendation for addressing the area of concern is to share a collective
organizational consciousness with the team members, which will in turn help in easier decision
making.
The above three strategies associated with the educational leadership is expected to
address the key area of concern related to transformational leadership practices.
4. Possible Challenges
One challenge can be faced by the school in following the second strategy that is
discussed in the above section. Involving the team members in decision making is risky in
situations where the team members have different views (Johansson, Miller & Hamrin, 2014).
This can delay the decision making process and can negatively affect the organizational progress.
It is quite challenging to bring together all the members to think in a same frame for collective
decision making.
The action that could be taken to manage this challenge is to communicate with the
employees to understand their views regarding a particular situation and accordingly the decision
can be taken.
Conclusion
Transformational leaders are known for setting up of a realistic and achievable vision for
the organization, however, there are certain area of concern that are needed to be addressed. The
report discusses the issue of unidirectional influence that are required to be addressed. Certain
key strategies are discussed in the report to address the concern. One strategy is to involve all the
team members in decision making. However, this gives rise to the issue of delayed decision
making. The report suggest an action to deal with the issue. The report further establishes the
positive impact of transformational leadership.

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REFLECTIVE ESSAY
References
Breevaart, K., Bakker, A., Hetland, J., Demerouti, E., Olsen, O. K., & Espevik, R. (2014). Daily
transactional and transformational leadership and daily employee engagement. Journal of
occupational and organizational psychology, 87(1), 138-157.
Ghasabeh, M. S., Soosay, C., & Reaiche, C. (2015). The emerging role of transformational
leadership. The Journal of Developing Areas, 49(6), 459-467.
Hawkins, P. (2017). Leadership team coaching: Developing collective transformational
leadership. Kogan Page Publishers.
Johansson, C., Miller, V. D., & Hamrin, S. (2014). Conceptualizing communicative
leadership. Corporate Communications: An International Journal.
McCleskey, J. A. (2014). Situational, transformational, and transactional leadership and
leadership development. Journal of Business Studies Quarterly, 5(4), 117.
Men, L. R. (2014). Strategic internal communication: Transformational leadership,
communication channels, and employee satisfaction. Management Communication
Quarterly, 28(2), 264-284.
Mittal, S., & Dhar, R. L. (2015). Transformational leadership and employee
creativity. Management Decision.
Tyssen, A. K., Wald, A., & Spieth, P. (2014). The challenge of transactional and
transformational leadership in projects. International Journal of Project
Management, 32(3), 365-375.