Transformational leadership is the part of the “New Leadership” concept which put more emphasis on intrinsic motivation and follower development emerged by Burns. (Northouse, 2019). Before transformational leadership concept emerged up, we have often used traditional style of leadership which is called as transactional leadership. Transactional leadership focuses on the exchanges between leaders and their followers. Leaders use rewards to make followers do something for them(Northouse, 2019). Transactional is very basic leadership style and still now we can see it in everywhere at any level.
Whereas transformational leadership is the next level of leadership, which inspire followers to share the vision, motivate them, and “help followers reach their fullest potential”(Northouse, 2019). There are seven components of leader’s behavior which are thought to be consist of transformational leadership; Idealized Influence (II), inspirational motivation (IM), intellectual stimulation (IS), individualized consideration (IC), contingent rewards(CR), management-by-exception(MBE), and laissez-faire(LF). They can be evaluated with Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire(MLQ).
Because transformational leadership demands leaders to be a good role model for followers and appeal ideal and morals to raise the level of morality in followers, transformational leaders often connected with charismatic personal traits. In the past, Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Ghandi are known as famous transformational leaders. All of these great leaders inspired people by their ideal belief, words and actions to move people’s to bring new concepts.