Case Study Analysis: Transformational Leadership in Pandemic Response

This case study analyzes the application of transformational leadership within the context of a pandemic response, specifically focusing on the role of a CDC director. The analysis identifies key challenges such as inspiring employees and implementing changes, emphasizing the importance of motivation and communication. The study compares transformational leadership with transactional leadership, highlighting how both styles can be crucial during a pandemic. It discusses the influence of a leader on employee mentality and the necessity of addressing resistance to change. The case study underscores the need for pre-planned change implementation, considering factors like communication, employee opinions, and the ability to handle different departments to ensure effective leadership and preparedness for future outbreaks. The study concludes by stressing the significance of adaptability and countermeasure development in transitional leadership to improve employee workability and motivation.

Running head: CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Challenges
The challenges of the transformational leader or manager are several in relations with the
situation and the implementation of the strategies for the transformation of the practice of the
organization. On the basis of the factors of the change and the transformation comes with the
issues of the resistance towards the changes by employees and also inspiring the followers.
These are the primary challenges faced by the transformational leader in order to implement the
changes that can be able to address the pandemic and epidemic outbreaks (Danforth et al., 2010).
However, the factor of the implementation and maintaining the changes are the most effective
challenges that affect the decision and the expected outcomes of the transitional changes. Other
than these factors of the communication skill, loneliness, opinion of employees, overwhelming
knowledge and also working with different departments are the challenges that affect the
transition and the planned changes along with affecting the process of leadership. These
mentioned challenges affect the credibility and the effective decision making process of the
transitional leader. Hence, the elimination of these challenges should be prioritized for the better
implementation of the changes. The process of the change implementation should be preplanned
and the counter measures should be analysed in order to maintain the changes. Hence, the
challenges should be identified by the transitional leader in order to implement the changes
planned for the better workability of the employees and improving the work place environment
as well (Weberg, 2010).
Leadership Influences
The transitional leader should be able to influence the employees in order to
properly implement the changes. The transitional leader should focus on the motivation and

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inspiration providence for the employees. The factor of the motivation and the inspiration of the
employees depend on the factor of the relationship among the leader or the manager and the
employees (Van Dierendonck, 2011). Hence, the communication and the attitude of the manager
have a certain share in the process. Transformational leaders can inspire followers to change
perceptions, expectations and inspire for common goal through the strength of their vision and
personality. By so doing, positive changes are inspired for common course. Transformational
leadership is assessed based on the impact it has on the followers. The manager should be able to
provide proper assistance to the employees so that they can be motivated towards the work. It
can also be highlighted that the leadership is a factor that influences the mental state of the
employees towards the work process. The manger should be multitasking and capable of
handling different departments which would impact over the mentality of the employees and can
be able to catch their attention. The influence of the manager or the leader over the employees
plays a crucial role that also impact over the change and the maintenance of the change for a
significant amount of time. The preparation of leadership against pandemic requires teams that
are inspired, knows the mission and vision and work in different functions to make sure all teams
are ready to go. Transactional leader on the other hand has a different expectation. He or she
expects you to accomplish a task or increase your productivity in order to compensate you with
more rewards. It is like when you accomplish this, I will give you raise (Leadership champion,
2008). The process of the change and transition implementation in a work place depends on the
change implementation by the transitional leader however, the impact of the leader over the
employees have a crucial factor. Without proper relationship between the leader and the
employees create a gap that affect the factor of the change and the transition in the workplace.
Hence, the communication with the employees and addressing their requirements in the

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transitional plan also helps in motivating them and implementation of the changes properly
(Hamstra et al., 2011). The exceptionally gifted qualities and divine perceptions of manager are
the expected qualities that are helpful in influencing the employees. Both leaderships have
challenges but are required during the preparatory stages of a pandemic situation. The truth of
the matter is that while some employees are inspired by their transformational leader and are
ready to help in anyway, some employees get inspired by the remunerations they get at the end
of the day. If they know that there is a monetary compensation or they will get promotion, they
more inspired to get that job done. In a pandemic situation, both transaction and transformation
leadership are required to motivate and inspire all employees or followers for a common course.
The common course includes production of the vaccines, transportation, mass education to the
people to get vaccinated, Doctors and Nurses who administer those vaccines, healthcare
executives who have the responsibility to execute the whole process into fruition. Transactional
leadership is very effective when organizational goals are in sync with individual goals.
Therefore, it is the responsibility of a leader to assign with people that will add to the strength of
the organization (Leadership-central, 2011).
Summary
On the basis of this above discussion it can be stated that the implementation of change
can be acquired by motivating employees and also managing the requirements of the employees
in positive and prioritized way. Hence, the proper explanation of the implementation of changes
in a work place is the motivation and influence by the transitional leader over the employees.
The motivation and influence leads to the acceptance of the change by the leader and almost zero
resistance. Hence, communication and the relation build up along with the proper attitude

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towards the employees. The process of the change could be implemented by means of the
elimination of the challenges identified before (Silvia & McGuire, 2010). The factor of
addressing the challenges in the process of the transition implementation the leader should be
able to appraise the employees in the process of change implementation in order to maintain the
transition for a long time. Other than these multitasking abilities of the leaders can impact over
the employee mentality and help the transition to flow in a positive way. The leadership
management should focus on the change resistant people and provide them with the ideologies
that can be able to gain their interest in the transition plan. Hence, the challenges of the transition
of a work place or management can be addressed by the process of above mentioned counter
measures. The adverse issues regarding the transition of a work place can be hectic and also
preventive thus the transition leader should be flexible in the process (Lightfoot, Rweyemamu &
Heymann, 2013). By implementing all these processes the transitional change would provide the
counter measure development for the next pandemic outbreak and help in the motivation and
workability development of the employees (Yong, 2012).

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References
Danforth, E., Doying, A., Merceron, G., & Kennedy, L. (2010). Applying social science and
public health methods to community-based pandemic planning. Journal of business
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https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/hsp/jbcep/2010/00000004/00000004/art00009
Hamstra, M. R., Van Yperen, N. W., Wisse, B., & Sassenberg, K. (2011). Transformational-
transactional leadership styles and followers’ regulatory focus. Journal of Personnel
Psychology. DOI: 10.1027/1866-5888/a000043
Leadership-central (2011). Leadership theories. Retrieved froms
http://leadershipchamps.wordpress.com/2008/08/04/transactional-leadership-vs-
transformational-leadership/
Leadership Champion. (2008). Transactional leadership vs transformational leadership.
Retrieved from http://leadershipchamps.wordpress.com/2008/08/04/transactional-leadership-vs-
transformational-leadership/
Lightfoot, N., Rweyemamu, M., & Heymann, D. L. (2013). Preparing for the next pandemic.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f364
Silvia, C., & McGuire, M. (2010). Leading public sector networks: An empirical examination of
integrative leadership behaviors. The Leadership Quarterly, 21(2), 264-277.
doi:10.1016/j.leaqua.2010.01.006
Van Dierendonck, D. (2011). Servant leadership: A review and synthesis. Journal of
management, 37(4), 1228-1261. DOI: 10.1177/0149206310380462

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Weberg, D. (2010). Transformational leadership and staff retention: an evidence review with
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Yong, E. (2012). Trials at the ready: preparing for the next pandemic. Bmj, 344, e2982. doi:
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