A511.5.3.RB - Remote Transformational Leadership
Yukl (2013) describes transformational leadership as appealing to the moral values of followers in an attempt to raise their consciousness about ethical issues and to mobilize their energy and resources to reform institutions. Kelloway, Barling, Kelley, Comtois, Gatien (2003), performed two studies on remote transformational leadership to obtain further understanding of how the type of leadership effects the work environment. Furthermore, it is important to understand the purpose of the two studies, the results from the data collected, how the material relates to transformational leadership studied through course work?
The first study was performed on electronically-mediated leadership during the early stages and the researchers used a vignette approach to maximize experimental control (Kelloway et al. 2003). The primary purpose of the study was to understand whether or not recipients perceive and accurately understand varying types of digital communication, in addition, is it possible to receive an email with a positive leadership message versus a negative message (Kelloway et al. 2003). The results of the research from the first study using the vignette method, indicate recipients are capable to differentiating between varying styles of emails. In addition to the expected results, emails reflecting transformational leadership were connected to interpersonal justice and satisfaction
The second study was performed to expand the first study as well as recreate and confirm the initial study and findings. The second study was performed in a laboratory because it provides the most accurate research when the focus is on internal validity (Kelloway et al. 2003). The purpose of the second study was to expand the understanding of remote transformational leadership, more importantly the effects of intellectual stimulation and charisma in remote leadership. The results from the study indicate parts of transformational leadership can influence task and attitude related outcomes. Furthermore, results show recipients are capable of differentiating between an intellectually stimulating emails versus those who read a non-stimulating emails (Kelloway et al. 2003). The second reaffirmed the results from the first study performed.
The information provided in the research further supports the information stated in the text pertaining transformational leadership, which Yukl (2013), states that followers will feel trust, loyalty, and admiration to do what is expected of them by their leaders because the follers feel a sense of individual consideration and intellectual motivation. According to Rosenberg (2010), leaders are facing many challenges today, including communicating with their followers from a distance, which requires email to keep up with changing times. For leaders to effectively communicate with their followers from remote locations, they must understand how to appropriately express their tone in an email where the recipient understands the tone of the content.
In conclusion, understanding why the studies were performed, the conclusion drawn from the data, and the correlation between Yukl’s research and the study is important to enhance further understanding of transformational leadership. Fundamentally, leaders are people who change the world (Quinn, 2004), by making a difference.
Reference
Kelloway, K. E., Barling, J., Kelley, E., Comtois, J., & Gatien, B. (2003). Remote Transformational Leadership. Emeraldinsight, 24(3), 163-171.
Lilli Ruth Rosenberg (2010) Transforming leadership: reflective practice and the enhancement of happiness, Reflective Practice, 11:1, 9-18, DOI: 10.1080/14623940903525207
Quinn, R.E. (2004). Building the bridge as you walk on it: A guide for leading change. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Yukl, G. (2013). Leadership in Organizations (Eighth ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
