How servant and transformational leaders differ in integrating purpose in their strategic narratives: insights from social and transformational entrepreneurs

Abstract

Servant and transformational leadership are emergent topics. Namely, as leadership styles that promote individual’s growth with distinct emphasis, followers versus organization. This study materializes leadership styles with social and transformational entrepreneurs, based on social and disruptive motivations that provide conceptual connection. It finds, while transformational assume purpose within the notion of vision to sustain the meaning of this concept, servant leaders use purpose as an enabler for a strong sense of meaning towards why the company exists and guide actions. Overall, transformational leaders leverage purpose as basis of their long-term strategy while servant leaders leverage it to accomplish short-term objectives.