1.3 Can transformational leadership be salvaged?
Transformational leadership theory and its four factors are difficult to apply directly to Black leadership because they are rooted in white assumptions of organisations and societies. However, this does not mean that certain qualities discussed within the theory are redundant. Inspiration, respecting individual needs and providing intellectual stimulation are all important, but they do not need to emanate solely from a senior leader. Instead, you can package these together with other qualities that engage people and say that they can come from anywhere within an organisation or group of people. Moreover, it’s important never to lose sight of people’s material needs. Such needs can be intimately connected to transformational qualities: securing real material gains for people marginalised by power can be deeply inspirational, takes significant collective brainpower and means taking account of the specific needs of certain people and groups.
You will now engage with an activity that draws on the experience of Paul Sesay speaking about his role model James Klass, who influenced his leadership development when he moved to Liverpool at the age of 19.
Activity 2 Who and what inspires you
Watch the following video, where entrepreneur Paul Sesay talks about the importance of inspiration in leadership, and where he finds inspiration. As you watch the clip, reflect on the people who have left a mark on your life through their inspiration and leadership, and make some notes.
Transcript: Video 1 Paul Sesay – the importance of inspiration in leadership
Discussion
It is important in this activity to stay grounded. Appealing and effective leaders nearly always emerge from within the communities that they lead – they are ‘organic’ leaders in this sense because they grow from the nourishment they receive in their own communities (Grint and Smolović Jones, 2022). Organic leaders are effective because they share the feelings, experiences, struggles and customs of the group they are embedded within. They understand that group at an embodied level because they are part of the organic body. Their stories are therefore authentic stories that can inspire others to action. Rather than look to great figures of history or to celebrity for inspiration, you are usually better discovering more about people within your own communities.
As this section has noted, one thing missing in many accounts of transformational leadership is the ethics of being a leader. You will now examine this topic more closely by moving on to authentic leadership.