Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2024
Publication Title
Management Teaching Review
Keywords
transformational leadership, experiential exercise, active learning, engagement
Abstract
Transformational leadership is widely recognized as an effective leadership style; however, it is important to recognize its potential misuse, where it may serve a leader’s self-interests at the expense of others, both inside and outside the organization. In this article, we present an experiential exercise that uses the case of Theranos and its founder and former CEO, Elizabeth Holmes, to highlight the limitations and potential dark sides of transformational leadership. In this exercise, students watch three YouTube videos about Holmes, identify the characteristics of Holmes that match transformational leadership, and discuss issues with her leadership style. This exercise can be used in Introductory Management and Organizational Behavior courses, in-person or virtually. Students who have completed the exercise agree it is effective in teaching the concept of transformational leadership and in fostering active class engagement.
Funding Source
This article was published Open Access thanks to a transformative agreement between Milner Library and Sage Journals.
DOI
10.1177/23792981241267758
Recommended Citation
Guo, W., Cui, J., Arendt, L., & O’Brien, J. (2024). Limitations and Potential Dark Sides of Transformational Leadership: The Case of the Founder and Former CEO of Theranos. Management Teaching Review. https://doi.org/10.1177/23792981241267758
Comments
First published in Management Teaching Review: https://doi.org/10.1177/23792981241267758
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way.