Transformational Leadership Research
7 Books & Articles

Research in leadership strategies and employee relationships provide much-needed data to help us determine the best ways to interact with co-workers, bosses, clients, and others in order to achieve our goals. Here are seven books and articles that provide transformational leadership research—research that has the potential to transform the way we think about business relationships, perceptions, and leadership in general.

Transformational Leadership Research Books

1. The Extraordinary Leader: How Good Managers Become Great Leaders.

   Joseph Folkman and his research team analyzed the responses from approximately 200,000 360-degree feedback reports to determine the skills required for effective leadership. Based on the results, the authors put together a complete program to help you develop and use those skills.

2. TouchPoints: Creating Powerful Leadership Connections in the Smallest of Moments.

   TouchPoints revolves around using brief moments every day to connect with employees and reinforce the company’s purpose and values. The approach detailed in the book is the same approach co-author and Campbell Soup Company president and CEO, Douglas R. Conant, used to transform the Campbell Soup Company.

Transformational Leadership Research Books

1. Five Insights from Leadership Research.

   This Workforce.com article provides an overview of some of the results published in the The Extraordinary Leader: How Good Managers Become Great Leaders. If you’re on the fence about whether to buy this book or not, read the article for a glimpse of what you’ll find inside.

2. Why Employees Lie (and How to Get them to Stop).

   Researchers from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University performed an experiment to determine whether taking time to think about their decision or talking about it with someone would make a difference in whether they would lie in order to receive an extra $5.

3. How Women End Up on the Glass Cliff.

   An experiment by Harvard Business Review examined whether there is a gender bias against women by asking college students to choose the successor for a retiring CEO after reading an article about the company. Students were more likely to choose the female candidate if the company was in trouble and the retiring CEO was male.

4. The Other Side of the Mirror.

   Research on mimicry reveals that it may not always be a good idea. Others who observe the mimicking may perceive it negatively. Knowing when to mimic and when not to is just as important as knowing how.

5. A Counter-Intuitive Approach to Making Complex Decisions.

   An experiment by Marten Bos shows that “sleeping on it” may be the best course of action when faced with complex decisions.

Also be sure to check out my book, Getting Ahead, which provides practical advice and action-oriented tips to help you stand out among your peers so that you will be able to exert the influence needed to inspire people and drive change in your organization.