Transformational leadership - how a professor in the 1980s revolutionized our thinking on leadership

For over 2500 years some of the world’s leading thinkers have made contributions to the study of leadership. Platon, Aristotle, later Augustinus, Max Weber and Sigmund Freud - all offered sharp, often brilliant observations about how leaders shape people and societies. Their work remains thought-provoking and deserves its own post.

The systematic, academic study of leadership did not start until the 20th century. Initially, researchers followed what was called the “trait-theory” of leadership. Academics focused on characteristics or traits which differentiated leaders from other people - for example, decisiveness or confidence. The problem was: they didn’t really find anything. Traits varied widely by context and culture andstudies found no universal set of traits across successful leaders. Researchers then shifted their attention from traits to behaviors: What do leaders actually do? Again, the evidence proved elusive. No single leadership behavior reliably produced better outcomes across the board. After decades of empirical work, leadership science seemed to be at an impasse.

But in the 1980s, Bernhard M. Bass, a professor at the State University of New York at Binghamton, introduced a breakthrough concept. His idea was simple: if leadership meant anything at all, it would have to have an impact - demonstrable impact - on the people affected by it: the followers. Unless those followers were in any way affected by their leader - in the way they act, think, behave  - the concept of leadership made no sense. He called this type of leadership “transformational”: the defining feature of leadership lies in the capability of a leader to transform his or her followers. Are they more committed? More innovative? More capable than before? If the answer is yes, transformation is happening—and leadership is real.

Until today, transformational leadership as developed by Bass remains the most widely studied and applied leadership model by both academics and practitioners in the world. At its heart lies a simple, revolutionary belief: leadership is not about power, but about growth. Study after study has shown that organizations led by transformational leaders perform better—on metrics ranging from employee engagement to innovation to long-term success. In fact, many of today’s popular leadership models—servant leadership, authentic leadership, empathetic leadership—are essentially refinements of Bass’s foundational insight: that leadership is about elevating others.

Bass did not just develop the concept of transformational leadership. He also identified four key behaviors which he had observed in transformational leaders— which he called the “Four I’s” (apparently he was also great at marketing):

1. Idealized Influence – acting as a role model and earning deep respect and trust

2. Inspirational Motivation – articulating a compelling vision that energizes followers

3. Intellectual Stimulation – encouraging people to challenge assumptions and think creatively

4. Individualized Consideration – paying attention to each person’s needs, growth, and potential

Each of these behaviors deserves deeper reflection—and I’ll come back to them in future posts. But the core idea is clear: transformational leadership isn’t some abstract theory. It’s visible in action. It can be learned, practiced, and measured. And above all, it shifts the focus of leadership—from control to growth.

So, ask yourself:

Are you practicing the Four I’s?

Are people around you growing because of your leadership—or just performing?

Do you lead to elevate others, or to maintain control?

That’s the point. That’s leadership.