Week 3: Transformational leadership and power

Introduction

This week you will analyse the most influential of contemporary leadership theories: transformational leadership. This is a very important account of leadership, one that has influenced organisations across sectors. Nevertheless, it is also a perspective on leadership which is fraught with problems. The focus this week will be on how to arm people and organisations against the creep of narcissistic, individual-focused versions of leadership. The week ends with a reflective exercise that seeks to reconfigure the ‘leadership as person’ perspective.

After completing this week, you will be able to:

• describe the main features, parameters, advantages and disadvantages of transformational leadership theory
• describe some of the main features of the ‘sacred order’ of leadership
• describe the main parameters of narcissism in leadership
• analyse instances of narcissism, synthesising insights concerning narcissism and leadership in relation to your experience of working within the voluntary sector
• construct alternative ideal leaders for the voluntary sector from the basis of critical engagement.