It’s how you frame it: Transformational leadership and the meaning of work

Companies recognize the need for effective leadership. The 2008 IBM Global Human Capital Study cited lack of leadership capacity among the most significant workforce-related issues facing organizations. Indeed, 75% of the firms in their study reported building leadership talent as the most significant challenge facing organizations today. These findings are not unique. The 2009 annual Corporate Issues Survey of Ken Blanchard and Associates reported that the development of potential leaders is consistently among the top challenges organizations face. Not surprisingly, these organizations reported leadership development as the most likely area of training investment in future years. At the same time, scholars have actively pursued research on the most effective leadership approaches, and transformational leadership has Business Horizons (2013) 56, 351—360