Transaction versus Transformational Political Leadership Sample Clauses

Transaction versus Transformational Political Leadership. Local areas are undergoing a change in structures as a result of globalisation. Concomitantly some local areas are experiencing a change in agency of local elected officials from transactional to transformational who then feel empowered to ‘go global’ and act independently on the global stage. It is the use of the phrase ‘transformational leadership’ that must be delineated here. It is also important to differentiate the term ‘transformational leader’ from good or bad, effective or ineffective leadership. Not all transformational leaders create positive change, but transformational leadership may lend to the best opportunity to create economic growth on the local level. Xxx (2008, pp. x-­‐xi) defines ‘leadership’ as ‘those who help a group create and achieve shared goals. Leadership is a social relationship with three key components – leaders, followers, and the context in which they interact.’ Xxxxx concurs and expands the definition by stating that ‘leadership goes to the heart of politics, that is, to the capacity of a people to act together on shared concerns. Leadership revolves around purpose, and purpose is at the heart of the leader-­‐follower relationship’ (1995, pp. 96-­‐116). A clear distinction that underpins the research is the ‘transactional element’ versus ‘transformational element’ that is aligned to the progression of local elected officials from operating in a structure of administrative-­‐executor to legislative-­‐ activist. Transformational leaders are contrasted with transactional leaders, who motivate followers by appealing to their self-­‐interest. Transactional leaders use various approaches, but all rest on reward, punishment or self-­‐interests. Transformational leaders appeal to the collective interests of a group or organization, and transactional leaders rely on various individual interests (Xxx, 2008, p. 62). The work here identifies ‘transactional leaders’ as those working to maintain the status quo through effective or ineffective dealings that are commonly accepted and embedded in the system. Transactional behaviour does not deviate significantly from an accepted norm of the roles and responsibilities within the structure of the administrative-­‐executor. Conversely, ‘transformational actions’ are those actions that seek to change the status quo. They often embrace new and innovative partnerships and dealings and are not confined by the accepted structures within which they operate. As Xxx’x work (2008) focuses on transform...