Presidents as Transformational and Transactional Leaders and How They Shaped America

Presidents as Transformational and Transactional Leaders and How They Shaped America

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Presidents as Transformational and Transactional Leaders and How They Shaped America

Introduction

There are various approaches that experts take to define leadership. Riaz & Haider (2010) posit that discussions concerning leadership in every context are approachable from the perspective of the Great man theory or situational theories. The Great Man theory is developed on the assumption that leaders are born with innate qualities and cannot be made. Opponents of this theory suppose that leadership follows situational theories so that leaders only rise to the occasion from among the followers. In that way, leaders are made.

Body

Contemporary leadership experts divide styles of leadership into transactional and transformational leadership. Transformational leadership centers on inspiring and exciting subordinates to put in extra work for the achievement of the common goal. Transformational leaders therefore seek to increase or bring new understanding of issues(Riaz & Haider, 2010). It is based on four pillars namely: communications, charisma, individualized consideration, and intellectual stimulation. Transactional leaders, on the other hand, are able to appreciate and reward subordinates in a timely design as it emphasizes on achieving set goals. Transactional leaders are more management oriented, not expecting much innovation but rather observance of predetermined criteria within the established structure (Aarons, 2006).

Presidents are leaders on the highest level and various American presidents have adopted both transformational and transactional leadership styles. The twentieth century was iconic in defining the world order of power with the United States’ leaders attempting to shift the country’s driving strategy from simply avoiding entanglement in the politics of Europe (Nye J. S., Transformational Leadership and U.S. Grand Strategy, 2006). Experts hold that broadly visionary and transformational leaders with an inspirational style are generally more ethical and effective (Nye J. S., Transformational Leadership and U.S. Grand Strategy, 2006). Transactional and transformational leadership styles have impacted differently on raising the United States to global primacy but transformational leadership cannot be unequivocally declared as the more effective or ethical style since history proves that transformation oriented leaders failed in pursuing their agenda following the same style.

Towards the end of the nineteenth century, the American president William Mckinley was a status quo (transactional) president