Transformational leadership is not about getting people to “Follow the leader” in a wave of self-sacrifice, it is the leader who helps the followers maximize their potential by creating buy-in to the vision and then allowing people to act in the best interests of their self-directed work teams and the organization. The leader is welcoming of the feedback of front-line employees and uses it to improve the organization of the whole.

In a cult, the leader cannot be questioned and does not welcome feedback of any kind. These types of cult leaders are not transformational, they are reshaping people’s minds to be nothing but the leader’s and to me, a prime example is David Miscavige of the Church of Scientology. His unbelievable behavior continues to be exposed as a leader of his “Church,” and it is riddled with violence, megalomania, and his greed. I do not see any of those characteristics anywhere in the transformational leadership model.

The hallmark of a transformational leader is consensus building for shared success. In a cult, the leader’s hallmark is to be treated like a god on earth and be the font from which all wisdom flows. It is a perversion of a twisted mind preying on the weak, and I do not see that behavior having anyplace in transformational leadership.