META LEADERSHIP IN ORGANISATIONS: APPLYING BURNS' POLITICAL CONCEPT IN TRANSFORMING LEADERSHIP

Abstract

A distinction was drawn by Burns, the political scientist, between transforming and transactional leadership. The notion of transforming leadership struck a chord with behavioural scientists, but discrepancies and internal inconsistencies in their application of the concept arose. A way of clarifying the situation is to view transforming leadership as the application of meta leadership “visioning” to the macro‐leadership role of pathfinding and culture building. This idea is explored, taking a close look at transforming leadership as propounded by Burns.

Citation

Nicholls, J. (1988), "META LEADERSHIP IN ORGANISATIONS: APPLYING BURNS' POLITICAL CONCEPT IN TRANSFORMING LEADERSHIP", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 9 No. 2, pp. 17-22. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb053633