Task
Since time immemorial, leadership has been has existed but since it is still growing and evolving, the concept of leadership is complex making it hard to have a single definition for which everyone can agree. Transformational Leadership entails approaches that alleviate positive social and individual changes.
Strategy I: Attention through vision
Bennis and Nanus sate that “in order for leader to choose a direction, he or she has to develop a vision of the desired and possible state of the organization.” (82). The strategy emphasizes on the ability of a leader to be able to take risks and gamble with their future. World-renowned leaders had visions that set their companies on a certain path that eventually led to the company’s maximum success. In the year 1963, Martin Luther King delivered a speech on racial equality titled, although he did not live to see it, forty six years down the line, the first African American President was elected to office.
Strategy II: Meaning through communication
Bennis and Nanus describe a leader as “a person who has the ability to realize the shape of an organization and how it works” (110). He is a social architect, which is a person who gives meaning and translates the life of an organization and the people working in the organization. A social architecture governs how people should act and therefore, an institution or organization must create bondage between individuals for transmitting values and norms.
Strategy III: trust through positioning
Lao Tzu says that, “failing to honors people they will fail to honors their leader” (155). Frank dale is a good example of such a leader because he appreciates his workers. His first task was to introduce himself and thank everybody for his or her loyalty to the organization. This will create trust between the leaders and the people. Franc shows that his way of dealing with people within the organization creates trust that binds both the people and their leaders. Being a leader involves being in authority but at the same time a leader should be able to relate with those working under him to be able to build trust between himself and others.
Strategy IV: the deployment of self
According to Jacob Bronoski in the book The Ascent of Man, “human beings are afraid of their confidence and as such, they develop fear for the uncertain future of the world.” Personal, emotional, and intellectual commitment working together as one has made the ascent of man. Most leaders learn from experience and mentors that shape their philosophies, aspirations and personality that guide them to dealing with people.
Conclusion
With the four strategies, Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus show leaders on how to improve their businesses and move forward. Although they are all good advises, one should not take an idea as it is and apply it to his business because what worked in a certain business does not guarantee that the same idea might work in another setting. For example, the idea of creating television stations by William Paley worked back in 1928, the chances of it working again in 2011 is most unlikely. This is because people have discovered the internet and cable television where both offer multiple television programs. Instead, one can use the idea to venture into an unexplored field and exploit it before others catch up and copy the idea.
Work Cited
Bennis, Wareng, and Nanus, Burt. Leaders: Strategies for Taking Charge. HarperBusiness
Essentials, 2007
