Transformational leaders are more successful than their transactional counterparts in a variety of settings sales organizations, military units, schools, large corporations.
However, Burns left no doubt that transforming leadership rests on an ethical foundation.
"Such leadership" stated Burns, "occurs when one or more persons engage with others in such a way that leaders and followers raise one another to higher levels of motivation and morality.
There is a growing body of evidence that demonstrates that Burns was right: transforming leaders are moral leaders. Studies have found that transformational leaders exhibit the following characteristics: