Transformational leaders encourage their employees to share ideas. This type of leader motivates employees and seeks collaboration to achieve goals. They take the time to listen to employees and evaluate ideas. Open communication, cooperation, and risk-taking are characteristics that often describe transformational leaders.
When COVID-19 began, Salam, the general manager of XYZ’s chain restaurant, conducted a meeting with all employees. During the meeting, Salam shared COVID-19 related information and expressed the critical importance of customer safety.
As a transformational leader, Salam wanted to involve all employees in the decision-making process to determine if masks and gloves should be used by employees, the number of customers to be served inside the restaurant at one period of time, how sanitation efforts could be encouraged, and more. Since the transformational leadership approach was used, the process of determining what was best for the organization took countless meetings and over one month to agree upon. While waiting to make a final decision, employees became ill with COVID-19 and the restaurant needed to close for longer than anticipated.
Thinking about the case presented above:
Determine if the transformational leadership style was the best approach to use.
Explain what leadership approach you would have used if you were in Salam’s position (i.e., transactional leadership, charismatic leadership, or transformational leadership).
Explain the advantages and disadvantages with using the transactional leadership approach as compared to the transformational leadership approach.
If you were Salam, what would you have done differently and why.