MGT506 - Strategic Leadership, Mod 4 Case Assignment Essay

MGT506 - Strategic Leadership, Mod 4 Case Assignment - Essay Example Negative and positive reinforcement both are administered by type X managers and those with a transactional leadership style. Transformational leadership, on the other hand, is an extended form of the traditional transactional leadership approach. Transformational leadership is not only based on the conformity of the followers and/or subordinates but it also looks forward to shift the beliefs, the values and the needs of the followers. The attempt of transformational leaders is to become successful in raising colleagues, followers, subordinates and clients towards a much greater awareness of the consequences of the issues. This spreading of awareness requires a leader who is equipped with a vision, internal locus of control, confidence and the courage to put forward what he sees is right (Kuhnert and Lewis, 1987). TRANSACTIONAL LEADER – CHARLES DE GAULLE The main essence of transactional leadership dates back to the World War 1, where leaders gained relative importance and lea d the forces of war. French army in the event of the First World War and was amongst the few army generals who led successful armored counter attacks during the battle of France in 1940. What makes Charles De Gaulle a transactional leader? The famous French statesman Charles de Gaulle was a prominent example of the transactional leadership style. ... He also motivated his subordinates through keeping forward the rewards and punishment process. He was an Army man and so laid out a clear requirement plan in front of his subordinates and the corresponding rewards and it was very evident that in the event of a failure to satisfy those requirements, they will be eligible to receive the corresponding punishment. Was his leadership style appropriate? All these traits qualify Charles De Gaulle as a transactional leader. The approach he had was very suitable for the environment of that era. Politically as well, he had the right vision for that time. He has been very famous for his work in History and many politicians and leaders of today admire him (Qazi, 2010). TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER – MARTIN LUTHER KING Jr. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born into a Baptist minister’s family in 1929, Atlanta, Georgia. He was himself a Baptist minister and was awarded with national prominence as the leader of Civil rights movement in Unite d States and through the Southern Christian leadership conference. He was also one of the bearers of Nobel Prize for peace award in 19 64, his efforts and leadership abilities were the keys to success for his movement which was the ending of the legal segregation of the African Americans in the southern states of the United States. He was never in favor of violence and always wanted to bring about a social change in the status quo of people (McGuire & Hutchings, 2007). What makes Martin Luther King Jr. a transformational leader? He was a visionary. He had a broader vision to bring about a change and had the skills to convert the abstract ideas into an understandable objective and goal making it easier for his followers to understand. He was an