Full Article: Transformational Leadership

What are the characteristics that allow some leaders to motivate their teams to high levels of performance, while others, despite their best efforts, achieve mediocre results? This is the question that has been asked of leadership since before the time of Alexander the Great. This article explores the concept of transformational leadership, a leadership style that increasingly has been associated with maximizing organizational performance. The article begins with a review of the origins of the concept and moves toward the application of transformational leadership in everyday organizations. It attempts to identify the benefits of the transformational style and the characteristics associated with the transformational leader. It concludes by answering the question: "Are transformational leaders born or made?"