Northouse, Leadership 9e
SAGE Publishing, 2022
Class Activities
Chapter 8: Transformational Leadership
Activities
These activities may be used in either small-group or large-group settings, depending on class size and
Transformational Leadership Questionnaire
Have students complete the Transformational Leadership Questionnaire individually and share their
results in small groups. Compile a master list showing what leadership stylers were most commonly
Case Analysis
Assign each case to one or more small groups for in-class analysis and discussion. Each small group
should then report back to the entire class about the results of its group work.
Current Events
As homework, have students read local and national news stories to find at least two examples of
transformational leaders. In their report to the class, they should explain which criteria of
transformational leadership apply to the people they chose. Do other class members agree with their
Class Debate
Divide the class into two groups and assign each group to argue either for or against the following
proposition: Transformational leadership is the most effective form of leadership. Teams should use the
material in the chapter to construct their arguments. Set whatever ground rules you wish for the
Northouse, Leadership 9e
SAGE Publishing, 2022
Will the Real Millennials Please Stand Up?
In class, have students summarize the main findings of the research in Chapter 8 regarding Millennials’
possible resistance to transformational leadership. Discuss in small groups which of the arguments (if
Create a Leadership Training Module
Training is the process of teaching or developing skills so that people can perform their jobs more
effectively. To familiarize students with the process of training, have them think through each of the
four I’s that comprise transformational leadership. In small groups assign one of the I’s to each group (4–
5 works well) and have them complete the tasks below. They can then report back to the class.
2. Describe what this behavior looks like in action. How will you know it when you see it?
3. Identify at least three skills one would need to use this leader behavior effectively, for example,
4. Choose one of these skills and develop a training plan for how to develop it. What is the first
step of training? The next step?
5. How will you measure improvement in skill level over time? Through follower feedback? Leader
self-evaluation? Team productivity levels?
Discuss as a full class: How easy is it to become a transformational leader? Is there more to
Writing Assignments
Contemporary Leadership
Have students write a 2–3-page reaction paper about a contemporary example of transformational
leadership. Their analysis should describe how the leader shows transformational leadership, providing
specific examples and explaining the leader’s effectiveness. Students should also discuss how
transformational leadership theory provides a useful way to understand the leadership shown by this
individual.
Northouse, Leadership 9e
SAGE Publishing, 2022
Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire Form 5X-Short
Have students write a 2–3-page reaction paper that explains their scores on the nine leadership factors.
Leadership Talk
Have students select one of the transformational leaders mentioned in this chapter (Gandhi, Ryan
White, Terry Fox, Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, or Nelson Mandela) or another well-known
transformational leader. How does this leader use talk to transform a situation? Specifically, how does
the leader engage with others through talk? Create a connection with others through talk? Raise the
Leader Observation
Ask students to attend a speech by a known charismatic speaker or leader and take notes on the
content, delivery, and audience response. What personality characteristics were evident? Charismatic
behaviors? Messages? Effects on followers? Does the speaker’s performance live up to his or her
The Best Conversation
Ask students to recall one or two of the best conversations of their lives. How was this conversation
transformative? What made the interpersonal exchange so meaningful? Have students write a one-page
The Shelf Life of Charisma
Ask students to identify a person who at one time may have been considered charismatic. This person
may have been perceived as charismatic at one stage of life, but not another (such as a popular child
actor), or have been considered charismatic throughout the entire life span. Using House’s charismatic
Northouse, Leadership 9e
SAGE Publishing, 2022
theory, students should explain the life span of the leader’s charisma. Did the leader’s behavior change?
Or did the effects on followers change? Or did the external environment change?
Thinking in Metaphors
As an opening exercise in class, ask students to find an object in the room (or in their personal
belongings) that represents transformational leadership. This requires some out-of-the-box thinking and
analogy-making. After a few minutes, you can go around the room and have students share in what
ways their object raises the level of motivation and morality among people, helps them achieve their full
potential, inspires or intellectually stimulates them, and so on. Examples might be books (which benefit
author and reader), a paystub (reward for work well done), a piece of artwork, a toy, and so forth.
Discuss: Does an analogy have to fit perfectly to be useful? Do leaders need to demonstrate all four I’s in
order to be considered transformational?
One-Minute Paper Topics
Where does a leader’s vision come from?
Internet Activities
Internet #1: Class Blog
In your class blog or chat room, write about some of the discussion questions provided in this chapter.
Some additional questions are suggested here:
• How does transformational leadership work in an online environment?
• Do men and women display charisma in the same way?
Internet #2: Web Search
This can be done as an individual or a group assignment. Go online to a business magazine home page
Northouse, Leadership 9e
SAGE Publishing, 2022
How are these topics relevant for workers today? What is the role of communication in these processes?
What does the new information contribute to our understanding of transformational leadership?
Internet #3: Famous Quotes
Look up leadership quotes online and bring some of your favorites to class. There are many websites
dedicated to posting such information; some with accompanying photos and music. Discuss in small
groups: Why did this quote ring true for you? Which of the quotes would reflect the beliefs of a
transformational leader? How useful are quotes for motivating oneself? Motivating others?
Internet #4: Pike Place Fish Market
Ask students to look up a video clip on YouTube (or watch in class) of the fish sellers at the Pike Place
Fish Market in Seattle. What are they trying to do with this unusual style of selling fish? In what ways are
Internet #5: Pseudotransformational Leaders
Some of the leading news magazines (such as Time, Newsweek, Forbes) have an annual edition or article
that reviews the worst tyrants or dictators in the world. Assign students to research one of these leaders
online and report back to class. What was this person like in childhood and adolescence? What were the
formative experiences of this person’s life? When did this leader become self-consumed, power-
Internet #6: Tweeting Like a Leader
If you have asked students in Week 1 to follow a thought leader on Twitter throughout the term, have
them report on how the leader inspires followers on Twitter. Is it possible to convey dominance, desire
to influence, self-confidence, and strong moral values in such an abbreviated format? Does the