Transformational and servant leadership: Content and contextual comparisons
Abstract
The purpose of the study is to examine conceptual similarities of transformational and servant leadership theories and analyze the contribution both theories make to the understanding of leadership. The paper examines the extent the domains of the two theories overlap, and looks at the motivation of managers to create organizational cultures using one or the other perspectives. It is suggested that servant leadership leads to a spiritual generative culture, while transformational leadership leads to an empowered dynamic culture. The paper also addresses contextual factors which might make one or the other models more appropriate for organizational objectives. It is suggested that high change environments require the empowered dynamic culture of transformational leadership, while more static environments are better served by the servant leadership culture.
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Both servant and spiritual leadership include either explicit or implicit recognition of the role of leader self-awareness/regulation.
“Like authentic leadership, both servant and spiritual leadership include either explicit or implicit recognition of the role of leader self-awareness/regulation.”
From Authentic leadership development: Getting to the root of positive forms of leadership (2005) · cites this paper as Smith, Montagno, & Kuzmenko, 2004
Prevailing theories of servant leadership include discussions of leader awareness, empathy, conceptualization, and foresight (vision).
“For example, prevailing theories of servant leadership (e.g., Greenleaf, 1977; Smith, Montagno, & Kuzmenko, 2004; Spears, 1995, 1998; Spears, Lawrence, & Blanchard, 2001) include discussions of leader awareness, empathy, conceptualization, and foresight (vision).”
From Authentic leadership development: Getting to the root of positive forms of leadership (2005) · cites this paper as Smith, Montagno, & Kuzmenko, 2004
Cites
IMPACT OF TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP ON FOLLOWER DEVELOPMENT AND PERFORMANCE: A FIELD EXPERIMENT.
Dvir, T., Eden, D., Avolio, B. J., & Shamir, B. (2002) · Academy of Management Journal · doi:10.2307/3069307 · Cited by 1,906 · see citing works
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Authentic leadership development: Getting to the root of positive forms of leadership
Avolio, B. J., & Gardner, W. L. (2005) · The Leadership Quarterly · doi:10.1016/j.leaqua.2005.03.001 · Cited by 5,478 · see citing works
Servant Leadership: A Review and Synthesis
van Dierendonck, D. (2011) · Journal of Management · doi:10.1177/0149206310380462 · Cited by 2,218 · see citing works
Scale development and construct clarification of servant leadership
Barbuto, J. E., & Wheeler, D. W. (2006) · Group & Organization Management · doi:10.1177/1059601106287091 · Cited by 1,288 · see citing works
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Yammarino, F. J., Dionne, S. D., Uk Chun, J., & Dansereau, F. (2005) · The Leadership Quarterly · doi:10.1016/j.leaqua.2005.09.002 · Cited by 501 · see citing works
The effects of servant leadership behaviours of school principals on teachers' job satisfaction
Cerit, Y. (2009) · Educational Management Administration & Leadership · doi:10.1177/1741143209339650 · Cited by 260 · see citing works
Servant Leadership and Work Engagement: The Contingency Effects of Leader–Follower Social Capital
De Clercq, D., Bouckenooghe, D., Raja, U., & Matsyborska, G. (2014) · Human Resource Development Quarterly · doi:10.1002/hrdq.21185 · Cited by 221 · see citing works
Examining the Impact of Servant Leadership on Sales Force Performance
Jaramillo, F., Grisaffe, D. B., Chonko, L. B., & Roberts, J. A. (2009) · Journal of Personal Selling & Sales Management · doi:10.2753/pss0885-3134290304 · Cited by 219 · see citing works
Servant leadership versus transformational leadership in voluntary service organizations
Schneider, S. K., & George, W. M. (2011) · Leadership & Organization Development Journal · doi:10.1108/01437731111099283 · Cited by 210 · see citing works
Hsiao, C., Lee, Y.-H., & Chen, W.-J. (2015) · Tourism Management · doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2015.02.012 · Cited by 166 · see citing works
Zhang, Y., Zheng, Y., Zhang, L., Xu, S., Liu, X., & Chen, W. (2021) · Asia Pacific Journal of Management · doi:10.1007/s10490-018-9639-z · Cited by 167 · see citing works
Servant leadership and engagement in a merge process under high uncertainty
Jorge Correia de Sousa, M., & van Dierendonck, D. (2014) · Journal of Organizational Change Management · doi:10.1108/jocm-07-2013-0133 · Cited by 138 · see citing works
Verdorfer, A. P. (2016) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-016-0534-8 · Cited by 103 · see citing works
How Can Servant Leadership Promote Employees’ Voice Behavior? A Moderated Chain Mediation Model
Chen, H., Wang, L., & Li, J. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.938983 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
- Authors
- Smith, B. N., Montagno, R. V., & Kuzmenko, T. N.
- Affiliations
- Ball State University (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2004-05
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 80-91
- ISSN
- 1548-0518 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-7089
- OpenAlex
- W2157055974
- Cited by
- 494
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 43 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 31 · 2018: 23 · 2017: 27 · 2016: 31 · 2015: 33 · 2014: 40 · 2013: 28 · 2012: 25
- FWCI
- 32.43
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Leadership and Management in Organizations
- Social Sciences › Demography › Workplace Spirituality and Leadership
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Employee Performance and Leadership
- Keywords
- transformational leadership, servant leadership, organizational culture, organizational change, managerial motivation
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