Make sure you follow the template document attached to this assignment to ensure you are correctly using APA requirements in your document.
Assignment Description:
Review, summarize, analyze, and evaluate a scholarly article based on the concepts and principles covered in this course to compose a Synthesis Paper.
You are highly encouraged to work with the Writing Lab to refine your work. If you choose to use their services and receive feedback, take the time to incorporate it into your paper and then submit your final draft for grading to your instructor using the link provided for the Week 7 Assignment.
Assignment Instructions:
See specific instructions above in the pdf file.
Write a 500-600 word critical review of the attached article: TLSL Article – Stone Russell Patterson 00-292 Revised.pdf.
The first portion of your review should consist of a summary of the authors’ main point, or thesis? Look at the author\’s points of evidence, organization, and overall method for presenting this information.
The second portion of the review should consist of your analysis and evaluation of their argument (Do not begin to analyze and evaluate until you have first summarized their argument and noted their methodology). Did the authors effectively communicate their thesis? Why or why not? You will not be required to include outside sources for this portion of the paper, but you can if you wish.
Synthesis Paper
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Synthesis Paper
Introduction
A critical review is important to help evaluate various sources of evidence. According to Nugent & RajanBabu (2021), the critical review helps in evaluating the strength and weaknesses of an article’s idea as well as its content. Critical review should provide analysis and interpretation and description that enables the readers to understand the value of the article. During the critical review, the writer may look at the text from different perspectives and in relation to the approaches, theories, or frameworks of the expected work (Nugent & RajanBabu, 2021). In that regard, this paper is a critical review of the provided article to allow readers to understand the value of the article.
Summary of the Authors’ Main Points
The selected article is “Transformational versus Servant Leadership – A Difference in Leader Focus” by Stone et al. (2004). The primary purpose of the article was to examine the similarities and differences between transformational leadership and servant leadership. The authors presented an organized paper that begins with an abstract. The authors then write about transformational leadership and servant leadership separately and thereafter compose a comparative review of the two subjects. Stone et al. (2004) examines the characteristic, theoretical framework, and leadership focus of both transformational and servant leadership styles. Although the authors are not clear on methodology, the paper is a critical review of several sources of evidence. The authors reviewed more than 20 academic sources to compose the article. The authors state that people tend to find it difficult to identify the differences between transformational leadership and servant leadership.
Stone et al. (2004) perceive transformational leadership as a way of promoting commitment to the objectives of the organization and empowering employees (followers) to accomplish the objectives. On the other hand, servant leaders’ main objective is to serve others and meet their needs, which then becomes their prime motivation. Andersen (2018) also states the same concept as the main difference between the two concepts of transformational and servant leadership styles. The similarity between servant and transformational leadership styles is that they both incorporate certain characteristics such as influence, vision, trust, risk-sharing, and many more.
Analysis and Evaluation of their Argument
After looking at the main points of the authors, it is now important to evaluate and analyze their point of argument. First, the authors effectively communicated their primary objective or thesis. They provided clear differences and similarities between servant and transformational leadership styles (Stone et al., 2004). The transformational leader is organizational-oriented and focused on building commitment to achieve the objectives while the servant leader focuses on their followers. Andersen (2018) is in agreement with the same idea as presented by Stone et al. (2004). To a servant leader, the achievement of organizational objectives is a secondary outcome. However, there are several similarities (influence, vision, trust, role models) between the two concepts (Stone et al., 2004). By reading the article, one can clearly understand the differences, similarities, and leadership focus between the two leadership styles. Overall, both transformational leadership and servant leadership provide valid, yet different patterns for contemporary leadership in all types of organizations.
Conclusion
A critical review of an article provides the strength and weaknesses of the article’s ideas and content. The main objective of the provided article was to examine the differences and similarities between transformational and servant leadership styles. The author effectively communicated their thesis by looking at the differences, similarities, and leadership focus between the two concepts.
References
Andersen, J. A. (2018). Servant leadership and transformational leadership: From comparisons to farewells. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 39 No. 6, pp. 762-774. https://doi.org/10.1108/LODJ-01-2018-0053
Nugent, W. A., & RajanBabu, T. V. (2021). Four mechanistic mysteries: The benefits of writing a critical review. Angewandte Chemie, 133(5), 2222-2229. https://doi.org/10.1002/ange.202011838
Transformational versus servant leadership: A difference in leader focus. Leadership & organization development journal, Vol. 25 No. 4, pp. 349-361. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437730410538671